Not As It Seems
by riverofmemories
Summary: When Rhith Vila, an illusion mage employed by the Magic Council, is sent to investigate an influx of magic in Magnolia, she discovers that things are worse than originally thought. Meanwhile, Natsu and the guild are thrown into chaos when something that was never thought possible is discovered, leaving them brimming with determination to find their nakama and bring her home.
1. Lost in Crocus

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

She stepped off the train with a thoughtful look in her piercing burgundy eyes, searching the people around her. Every now and then, one would give her a wary look and take a path around her, but the young woman didn't seem to notice, simply adjusting the strap of the leather satchel she wore over her shoulder.

"So this is Fiore," she murmured aloud. It had been a long time since she'd been in the country; years, even. She didn't really remember the last time. She'd definitely been young when she'd left though, that much she did remember. Her first assignment had been to escort a wealthy child into another country, and she'd done it so well that she'd been requested several times over by that child's parents. She'd stayed there for years, protecting and escorting and retrieving. The Council had given their approval; apparently, the family was one that was more than willing to donate large sums to their dwindling funds.

So to receive a message that demanded her return to Fiore…

Well. It was a tad bit concerning.

She popped her neck, sighing in content before scowling at nothing in particular. She had her orders, so straight to work she went.

Rhith Vila ignored the strange looks that many cast her way as the petite woman started forward, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. She'd been on the train for what felt like weeks but had been only just over twenty four hours. She'd managed to catch the last one to the capital of Fiore, Crocus, and she was sure it would suffice until she could figure out the way to the place she really and truly needed to be in. Where her orders demanded she inspect a strange influx of magical activity.

Magnolia.

Rhith's lips twitched into a smile as she hurried across a busy street, glancing this way and that to make sure she wouldn't be hit by any crazy person that came raging by. She made it across without any issue, and then fell back into thought.

Much to her dismay, she'd learned upon asking that there were no trains to Magnolia from Crocus. It required a walk to a small town nearby, where one could hire someone to drive them in a carriage to the rather famous town.

Even when she'd spent much of her life - most of it, if she was being honest - as a mage of Fiore, working in a different country, she knew who called the town home. A popular guild, the strongest in the Fiore according to the Grand Magic Games that had taken place only a few months before. She remembered seeing them on the lacrima-visions when she'd been free to do so.

Most of her time, of course, had been spent working. Rent was harsh and large when you lived near a mansion it turned out.

Rhith sighed softly, shaking her head. The long pieces of silvery hair that hung on either side of her face, framing it, swung, catching the light of the afternoon as much as the "wings" on either side of her head did. She glanced around before starting forward again.

She didn't know much else about what she was to do.

Check in with the local guild to inform them that she was passing through or possibly staying under the order of the Magic Council, figure out what the magic was about, and then report to Headquarters.

That, of course, was proving to be a bit more difficult than she'd originally planned.

For one, Rhith was not known for her abilities at map reading.

And for another...well, she'd just put it at people not too fond of her. People tended to avoid Rhith when possible for the most part, excluding a very small number of magical people. Those without magic especially shot her dirty looks whenever they came near her, and it only made it worse that Crocus had an unending supply of people. So she couldn't exactly just stop and ask for directions…

So she resorted to reading signs. She scanned each and every one she came across. her sandaled feet slapping against cobblestoned streets. She knew that the city had been destroyed by supposed dragons nearly a year beforehand, just after the Grand Magic Games had ended, but damn. They rebuilt _fast_.

That idea filled her mind and she frowned.

Rhith could see through illusions with ease, being a mage of them herself. Many had thought the dragons were just a show. She knew better; the dragons had been actual dragons, and there hadn't been anyone having an easy time when they'd attacked Crocus. The mages of guilds had fought viciously and hard to protect their beloved country and friends, and Rhith commended them highly on that.

All the power to them if they could protect one another.

It just showed how powerful some mages were.

Rhith was in the middle of examining a sign and reading what it said when she first heard it. She glanced up and over her shoulder at the sound of sniffling, of mumbling under the breath. When she didn't see anyone, children or adults, crying nearby, she went back to reading.

Until something tugged very lightly on her bag.

Suspicious, Rhith turned on her heel with a dark look - only to lose it and stop dead in her tracks when she discovered a fairly cute looking creature peering hopefully up at her. She wasn't sure what it was. A cat maybe? A frog? But she liked it almost immediately, and the look she'd worn previously vanished as she carefully knelt before it, immediately disliking the sight of tears. "Hello, there."

"Hello," the frog-cat mumbled, suddenly nervous. "Um, F-Fro was wondering if y-you knew the way to S-Sabertooth?"

 _Sabertooth, eh?_ Rhith recognized the name; it was the guild that had been considered the strongest when some powerful members of the Fairy Tail guild had vanished. They'd practically taken over the Grand Magic Games for years before said powerful members of Fairy Tail returned and quite literally kicked their brutal asses. Of course, Rhith was pretty sure something must have changed. She'd heard only good things about Sabertooth recently, though the Council didn't exactly like the new guildmaster, who rarely did any paperwork.

"Sorry, little one," Rhith apologized with a heavy sigh. "I haven't been around here since before Sabertooth was created. But, if it makes you feel any better, I'm lost, too. I have no idea where I'm going. Want to be lost together? I suppose if we find your guild, I can ask for directions."

He looked disappointed for only a split second before smiling nervously. "Okay. Fro will be lost with you."

She smiled brilliantly. She was absolutely in love with this cute little frog-cat. "Is that your name? Fro?"

He shook his head. "My name's Frosch. What's yours?"

"I'm Rhith," she introduced, winking as she shook his cloth covered paw. She didn't hesitate to scoop him up into her arms, and he purred, confirming himself to be a cat for her. Not that the tail that flicked behind him didn't confirm that already. "Have no worries, we'll find your guild. If you're lost, I'm sure the other members of Sabertooth are looking for you, hm?"

Frosch nodded enthusiastically at the thought. "Yeah. Lector will tell Fro's guild when he doesn't see me." He cuddled close, deciding he liked Rhith, and Rhith looked beyond pleased about the matter.

If he hadn't had a guild, Rhith was quite certain she might have kidnapped him. She _may_ have considered kidnapping the cute little guy even with him being a part of a fairly well-known guild. But she wasn't that kind of person, she wouldn't have pulled him away from people he clearly loved for her own benefit.

"Do you have an idea of the general direction of your guild's building?" she asked politely as she went back to scanning the sign. She turned him so that he was facing forward, her arms lightly holding him so that he could see where they were going. "I don't know where we're going period."

Frosch seemed to dig into his thoughts for a few seconds before coming up with a solution. "Yes! That way! It's a big building with our emblem on it," he reported, pointing towards the southwestern side of the large city. "We're outside of Crocus. Fro was shopping with the others and got separated."

"I see." Rhith hummed as she walked, legs eating up the ground quickly despite her height. She was shorter than average, only five feet even. She knew there were others shorter than her, but it didn't help that her entire body was, as a disgusting person had put it, "delicate". Everything about her was tiny. Her feet were small, her fingers so slim that it was like a person could break them just by touching them.

In other words, she was petite in every way possible.

"Don't worry, Fro-kun," she told him with a huge smile on her face. "We'll find your friends, I promise. And if we don't, we're well on our way to the guild's building anyways, so you'll be home shortly."

"Thank you, Rhith-sama," he said cheerfully.

"Sama isn't necessary," she replied with flushed cheeks. Her burgundy eyes sparkled with excitement despite her words. How long had she addressed others as such without even receiving so much as a thanks in response? It was nice to have someone so happy to keep her company without demanding she work in the meantime.

Frosch didn't respond to her words, instead purring again when one of her fingers darted up to scratch beneath his cute little green chin.

If this was something she could do every day...she'd quit being a mage that worked for the Magic Council in an instant. It was much nicer being allowed to cuddle a cute little cat creature than dealing with the wealthy.

If only she didn't somehow make people uncomfortable...she supposed a guild would be a fun place to go, train, hang out at, etc. But that would never happen, especially not with the glares people were sending her as they moved out of her way. She remained calm, even when Frosch asked, "Rhith-sama? Why are people moving away?"

"I don't know, Frosch," she sighed truthfully.

 _I wish I knew._

* * *

Rhith had experienced many, _many_ things in her life. While she wasn't exactly certain as to how long she'd been alive (a story she'd tell at a later time, when it was relevant), she'd come across things most independent mages hadn't. It came with staying in another country for years and years.

But this kind of thing was not.

" _This_ ," she said incredulously, her deep red eyes utterly bewildered as she adjusted the violet dress she wore alongside Frosch and the leather bag she shouldered. "This is your guildhall?"

Frosch, perfectly content in her arms, beamed. "Yes! This is Sabertooth's guildhall! Some of us live here! Sting does. Lector stays with him. Fro and Rogue have a different house though, and so does Yukino."

 _Ah. That explains the size. I suppose there must be other things in there as well, training rooms and what not._ Nodding to herself, Rhith adjusted Frosch in her arms and started forward again at a walk, following the path that led to the massive fortress-like building at the top of the hill.

In the end, they hadn't come across any Sabertooth mages in the city, resulting in a two hour long walk to the nearby guildhall. Rhith hadn't minded the walk; it gave her the chance to inspect Fiore's terrain, check out the sights.

And there were some seriously nice sights, if she was being honest. She enjoyed the peace of Fiore. It was cheerful and quiet, and enjoyable peace rather than a tense one that came with a country that was constantly looking for a fight.

It was nice to know that she could walk among people and not get smacked for looking at someone the wrong way.

They reached the doors after only a few minutes, and Rhith forced herself to calm her mind before opening the door. Frosch had told her only moments before to simply walk in; Sabertooth might get defensive but would listen to what she had to say as long as he was with her.

The illusion mage patted his head lightly at the thought. She had no reason to not walk in; she was one, a mage, and two, a mage that worked beneath the command of the Magic Council - meaning she was technically allowed to do whatever the hell she wanted in regards to invading a guild mage's personal space. They answered to _her_ , not the other way around.

Not a single person noticed her at first as she stepped inside. They continued drinking, eating, planning; they just kept doing whatever they'd been doing before she'd come in.

"Hm.." Frosch squinted, searching the guildhall with expert eyes before instructing, "Over there! There's Yukino, she'll help you, Rhith-sama! That way you won't be lost anymore." Frosch's long tail swished, curling momentarily around her waist in a motion of affection as the young woman continued forward, pushing herself to make her way over to the silver-haired girl as instructed.

When they were only a few feet away, Frosch squirmed slightly and called, "Yukino!"

Her head snapped up and the young woman blinked before smiling hugely in relief. "Frosch!" she cried, hurrying over. She held her arms out and Frosch willingly hopped into them for a tight hug. "We've been searching _everywhere_! Sting-sama is out in town with Rogue-sama and Lector-kun...oh. Hello."

Rhith smiled faintly, her nerves getting the better of her. "Hi there." She offered a hand to shake, cautious. She knew most would reject her offer, simply stare at her until she stopped; Yukino, didn't, however. Yukino reached out and firmly shook her hand with a hesitant smile. "I'm Rhith Vila. I work under the Magic Council."

"Oh!" she gasped. "We received word a few days ago that you'd pass through! It's nice to meet you, Vila-san, I'm Yukino Aguria, celestial mage of Sabertooth." She gave a dry smile. "And practically master of the guild since Sting-sama is a failure when it comes to paperwork…"

"Sting is bad at paperwork," Frosch agreed.

Rhith giggled softly before rubbing the back of her silver head, adjusting her leather bag's strap. "I'm sorry to bother you...this little guy asked for some help getting home and I figured I might as well help him since I needed directions myself. I need to-"

" _Frosch_!"

Frosch's face lit up. "Rogue!" he cried excitedly, leaping out of Yukino's arms now and straight into the arms of a dark-haired man that had appeared out of seemingly nowhere. And he had, Rhith realized a brief second later; he was still solidifying after being a shadow. _He must have been in such a rush to have used magic in that way,_ she mused to herself.

"I'm glad you're alright," Rogue told the green cat with a frown. "Where were you? We looked all over the place. Sting got distracted _again_ -" He cut off suddenly as his nostrils flared. A single piercing red eye turned on Rhith and she fought back a shudder of fear at the intensity of it.

Nervous now, Rhith smiled hesitantly. "Hello. I'm Rhith Vila, a mage under contract with the Magic Council. I found your friend while I was trying to figure out a way to get to where I need to go."

"I like her," Frosch mused aloud, catching their attention. Rhith blushed at what he said. "Rhith-sama is kind."

"Drop the honorific please," Rhith pleaded, somehow knowing it would do no good. "So if I could just get some instructions on how to get to-"

Again, the illusion mage found herself cut off when another person seemed to materialize beside them. This time, however, it was far too close for Rhith's liking. As in, a breath away from her face kind of close. Rhith leaned back to try and get away from the blond man that had suddenly shoved his face up near hers, his blue eyes searching her own burgundy eyes curiously. When he spoke, his breath washed over her face in a warm gust. "Well this is new, eh, Rogue?"

"Sting," Rogue retorted, "You're making her uncomfortable." He paused, and then reluctantly agreed. "It is new, however, I agree."

So _this_ was Sabertooth's guild master, Rhith realized as the grumbling man pulled back. She recognized arrogance in the way he held himself. She couldn't help but see it with ease after working with the rich for so long. Exasperated, Rhith glanced at the door. "Look, I can go ask for directions elsewhere if you want…"

"Forgive them," Yukino pleased, and Rhith realized she had another cat in her arms, this one red with a vest on. Rhith eyed him longingly. She liked the weird cats. Even if it did startle her that they talked. "They're not usually like this...you said you needed directions, Vila-san?"

Rhith opened her mouth to talk again, and then scowled furiously when Sting caught her off. "What's your name?"

"If you'd _listen_ ," Rhith gritted out, finally losing her temper. Something about the pair of men before her rubbed her the wrong way, and it set her off almost immediately. "Maybe I'd have told you by now! Rhith Vila. Officially heading to the town of Magnolia under the order of the Magic Council to investigate a suspicious flare of magic. Any more questions?"

"I have one," the red cat who Rhith guessed was Frosch's friend Lector supplied. She gave him a look that was softened despite her attempt to not let it be so. "Should we go to Sting-kun's office? Because you're getting a lot of looks."

Rhith spared a look over her shoulder and grimaced. A lot of people were staring, and not all of them were friendly looks. Some were downright aggressive, actually. "...that might not be such a bad idea," the illusion mage admitted, her cheeks flushing just barely.

 _Whoops_.

Sting smirked and she found herself wanting to rip that smug expression right off of his face as he waved for all of them to follow. "C'mon, not like we got anything better to do. You comin', Rogue?"

"I don't need to sit in an office to get directions," Rhith muttered to herself as she allowed herself to be led towards said room. Of course, she'd agreed to talk to them in there, but she didn't need to continue showing her approval towards anything either man said.

Rhith's eyebrow ticked, relieved Yukino and the two cats would be there, too.

There was just _something_ that made her angry whenever she looked their way...at the same time that it soothed her, lulling her into a feeling of false security. Perhaps it was the second feeling that drove her crazy…?

When they'd all slipped into the office, Sting kicked the door shut and Rogue turned a curious look on Rhith. "You're a member of the Magic Council?"

"I work under them," she corrected. "I have a...kind of special contract, I guess? I know there aren't many mages who are sent job requests that they don't think the guilds would be good for. Don't get me wrong," she said hastily when Yukino frowned in disapproval, "You guys do a lovely job, it's just...sometimes, the Council needs a more direct involvement. Someone who doesn't go to others before them or try to solve it with their own people."

Rogue nodded slowly, murmuring, "I can see that. It makes sense. We've tried to solve several issues with our own people or even asking another guild for their opinion before even considering going to the Council…"

"What kind of magic do you do?" Lector questioned suddenly. "You're a mage, but what kind of magic?"

Rhith immediately forgot her annoyance with the two men watching her carefully. "Illusionary magic, my friend. I'm an illusion mage." She flicked a finger and a butterfly landed on it, a glowing silver. Its wings fluttered for a moment before solidifying with color into that of an orange. "I have three separate ways I use it. My weaker, used in message delivering if I don't feel like going anywhere, my middle, which is this, just realistic looking, and my strongest. I can create something out of nothing and while it takes a lot of energy, make it real enough to deal blows. It's how I fight if necessary."

A single look at the butterfly and it vanished, leaving swirling white orbs to disintegrate into thin air. "It's beautiful," Yukino complimented softly.

Rhith shot her a beaming smile. "Thanks. Anyways, if you people wouldn't mind, I'd like some directions to Magnolia? There was a suspicious influx of magic that I need to investigate, just outside of the town. The Council was concerned by it."

"Oh!" Yukino tapped her lower lip with her index finger, a look of dark thought on her face. "I remember that. It was only a few weeks ago. We felt it here, but figured it was just Fairy Tail again...they do that quite often, you know? We thought it might just be a new mage of theirs or something like that."

Sting wrinkled his nose in disgust, as if he'd smelled something disgusting. "Yeah, but I told you. Smelled weird for a while afterwards. Rogue and I had to go miles around Magnolia when we went to Hargeon."

Rhith silently noted this information. "Thank you for telling me that, I'll make sure to remember. And I suppose I can convince the Council to send some jewels your way in payment for your help. Do you maybe have a map I can borrow?"

"Nah, don't need one." Sting smirked again and Rhith shot him a glare out of the corner of her eye. "We were heading that way anyways. Just took a job in Magnolia, specifically askin' for the Twin Dragon Slayers of Sabertooth. Gotta stop by Fairy Tail and let 'em know we're there, of course, but...we can ask around for anything they might know."

Rhith huffed. She _really_ didn't want them thinking they could take over the work that had brought her back to Fiore for the first time in years, if she was being perfectly honestly. But then a thought struck her and her eyes darted to Lector and then the purring Frosch, who was still held by Rogue. "...are they coming?"

Rogue's lips curved into an amused smile. "Of course. They're part of our team."

"...I suppose," Rhith sighed grudgingly, "It would be quite rude of me to tell you no. When were you planning on leaving? Not today, I hope. I need a break from running around. I was on a train for quite some time."

"Of course not," Yukino reassured. She dug around in the desk that resided within the office, not the least bit bothered that she was digging through the master of the guild's possessions. Most of it was pens and paperwork anyways. "You'll be accompanied by Sting-sama and Rogue-sama, as well as Frosch and Lector-kun. I, myself, will be remaining to deal with official work while Sting-sama's away." A pause as she muttered under her breath, "Not that Sting-sama does it anyways…"

"I do paperwork," Sting protested, his sharp ears catching her words with ease. He adjusted the fur-lined blue vest he wore with a proud look. "I just prefer to deal with things in a physical manner."

Rogue rolled his eyes and Rhith simply snorted in annoyance at him. "I'm sure you do. When are we leaving?"

"Tomorrow," Yukino announced, finding what she'd been looking for; it was a piece of paper, a job request. "You'll be leaving by carriage at nine in the morning...oh! Vila-san, I suppose you should be informed now...as Sting-sama and Rogue-sama are dragon slayers, they have a fairly interesting weakness."

"Oh?" Rhith cocked her head, silver strands falling into her face. "And what weakness is that? Not something too devastating I hope?"

Lector snickered. "Nah. They just suck against moving vehicles."

There was a pause, and then Rhith burst into giggles, unaware of the two sets of eyes that watched her the second the sound began. "You mean to tell me," she gasped past her laughter, "That two of the strongest mages in Fiore are weak against...against _motion sickness_? What kind of...ha!" She burst into laughter a second time.

"It's not our fault," Sting protested with a scowl on his face.

"It's simply something all dragon slayers deal with," Rogue agreed, looking fairly irritated about the matter. "We're not the only ones. Fairy Tail's dragon slayers suffer from it, too."

Rhith nodded to herself. At least she wouldn't have to talk the entire trip. "I see. I'll make sure to remember that then. Do you have a place to meet in mind or shall I stop here in the morning?"

"I would suggest you stop here," Rogue informed her as Frosch's tail curved around one of his wrists. He affectionately patted the cat's head. "We'll take you to where we'll rent the carriage, so be here by eight, if you don't mind."

Rhith agreed; that time could be handled. While she didn't enjoy getting up before six thirty on a normal schedule, she supposed it couldn't be helped. Frosch seemed cheerful as he added, "Fro's glad Rhith-sama is coming."

"Me, too!" Lector cheered.

Rhith's eyes practically glowed as she glanced from cat to cat, excited about the matter. She'd get hours upon hours to hopefully cuddle the two talking cats if she had her way.

Rhith turned to leave the room, tugging on her bag's strap as she waved without looking back. "Then I'll be here bright and early."

She left without looking back.

* * *

 _And so begins NAIS! This is finished, so the updates will be regular on Saturdays. It's seventeen chapters long and there's an epilogue. I'm quite nervous about posting this, actually. But I hope you all like it! Rhith is a favorite OC of mine, and I'm quite fond of her. :)_

 _This is rated T, mostly because I wasn't entirely sure on where to rate it. There's mentions of sex, but I didn't write any lemons. There's violence, of course, but not too bad._


	2. Draconic

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

He knew something was off from the second he woke up, but he decided to simply push the feeling away. He was too content, too happy to move and risk waking the blonde who was currently curled up against him with her head tucked under his chin and her fingers tangled in his scarf.

It was early, the sun just beginning to rise above the horizon. The curtains were drawn over the window he'd broken in through the night before - something he'd done himself because it meant she'd sleep longer and he could avoid a painful waking. And he'd succeeded. At least he would be able to wake up without pain that would surely come as soon as she did wake up.

Natsu Dragneel knew without a doubt that he shouldn't have been in his partner's bed. It was something she'd warned him about thousands of times and had even had Erza threaten to kick him to who the hell knows how far into next week. But...he couldn't help it. Even a year after the events that had taken place, he still had nightmares about watching Lucy get pierced with an arrow made of shadows.

He shuddered at the thought and tightened his grip around her, ignoring it as she shifted and stirred before falling asleep again. She was his best friend outside of the blue Exceed who was currently waking up to find himself alone in their house again. Without Lucy, the world was a lonely and dark place that he had no wish to live in.

And while she beat him upon waking...it was so much nicer than worrying all night about her.

The dragon slayer buried his nose in her hair with a shaky sigh before reluctantly getting to work on withdrawing from her. Lucy didn't exactly help; the celestial mage grumbled and tightened her grip on his scarf when he tried to pry her fingers off.

He grinned. For as much protesting as she did about the whole matter, Lucy was incredibly into cuddling when he sneaked his way into her bed.

When he was finally free, Natsu glanced at her alarm clock. He had about half an hour before seven, meaning half an hour to get himself decently cleaned up and to raid her fridge of anything he wanted. Snickering to himself, he went to do just that.

He was running calloused fingers through his damp pink hair to spike it up into its normal style and grabbing some leftovers out of Lucy's fridge when the alarm finally went off, stirring the blonde from her slumber. Knowing it'd be a hot second before she shut the noise off, Natsu went to work on adding to it, "accidentally" dropping a pan so that it clattered loudly to the floor.

She snapped upright, already turning a glare on him. "Natsu," she began dangerously.

Natsu smiled innocently and shoved a piece of food into his mouth. "Morning, Luce!"

Dark eyes flashed with amusement for the briefest of moments before turning away so that she could shut her blaring alarm off. She swung her legs off of the bed, and Natsu took a moment to appreciate the revealed skin of her long legs, revealed due to a pair of sleeping shorts she'd worn to bed. "You should fix your hair," he mused as he turned away, a blush creeping onto his cheeks. "It's all over the place."

"Like you have any room to talk," she uttered darkly under her breath, stretching and climbing to her feet. "Look at your hair. I don't think I've ever seen it lie flat."

He smiled cheekily. "'Cause I don't want it to." Another chunk of food was shoved into his mouth and he mumbled around it, "Hurry up and get ready, I wanna go to the guildhall! Gotta meet Happy there."

She paused with a frown on her face. "He's not with you?"

Natsu shook his head. "Something about getting there with a fish for Charle," he lied. She didn't need to know he'd abandoned his cat friend at their house to seek comfort with her.

As his partner tripped her way into the bathroom with her arms laden with clothes, Natsu wrinkled his nose and inhaled sharply. Her scent was strange, and Natsu silently wondered just what she'd been up to the previous night. He hadn't seen her, though he guessed it might be perfume left over from a date or something.

Not that he was happy about that. He hated when Lucy went on dates; it meant that for the next few days she'd swoon over some man neither of them really knew and completely ignore him.

Then again. Guess who was there when the boyfriend decided to break things off?

Natsu had spent a fair share of his evenings reassuring his partner that there was nothing wrong with her and that she was better than any of the jerks she'd gone out with. Which was true; Lucy was so much better than them. There wasn't a single part of her that wasn't worth a million of the men that she decided to take out.

And he always received praise from every female in the guild for a few days after comforting her in secretive ways. A little extra to his meals, a pat on the shoulder, a look that promised a huge team job.

It was nice, but the best praise was when Lucy looked at him with tearful brown eyes and simply smiled as if he was the best thing in the world.

 _Yep_ , he thought. Those were the best days. When Lucy thanked him and required his presence more than normal, and Happy knew better than to taunt her about something or another because doing so meant setting her off into another round of sobbing.

Of course, he didn't enjoy seeing Lucy in tears.

That just pissed him off.

But he did like the close physical actions they had, when she let him pull her close to soothe her aching feelings. Of course, Natsu wasn't taking advantage of situations; how could anyone think that?! He was just worried for his partner!

It didn't mean he couldn't enjoy it.

Lucy suddenly came out of the bathroom and he glanced up, a bone sticking out of the corner of his stuffed mouth. She looked like she was more awake now, clothed in her current favorite outfit. The color had changed her from her normal light blue to a deep blue in the form a of a halter top that hugged her curves in just the right way, leaving her arms bare and ready for a fight should something happen. And things usually did happen in Fairy Tail. Her leather belt was looped through the belt loops of a white pleated skirt, and her boots, tied all the way up to her mid-thigh were slightly disappointing.

While he appreciated the sight of more of her shoulders, Natsu admittedly missed seeing more...frontal pieces of his partner.

Not that _anyone_ , not even Happy, needed to know that. They were more than welcome to continue on thinking he was as oblivious as people came. And yes, he was oblivious, but not that oblivious. Honestly, Natsu got angry sometimes. He wasn't that stupid. No matter what people thought.

Still, it was Lucy. And as long as Lucy was there, he didn't care for much else. He gave a huge grin and swallowed what was left to eat whole, earning a disappointed look from his partner. "Okay!" he said when he was done. "Let's go see Happy, I gotta see how it went down...he was so serious this morning!"

Lies, all lies, but Happy knew what had really happened. The blue Exceed would play along, knowing that Natsu didn't want their blonde friend to know what was really wrong. Lucy didn't know about the nightmares, and he wanted it to stay that way. Happy, however, did. He'd been there more than once in the middle of the night when Natsu had fought the urge to cry and then failed anyways, sobbing brokenly into his fingers as he tried to not go to the celestial mage before going anyways.

The pair set out, Natsu stretching and popping his neck as they stepped out of the building Lucy's apartment was in, somehow avoiding the landlady that had the nose of a bloodhound when it came to Lucy and her rent money. He tugged his scarf away from his mouth after that, grinning suddenly at his partner. "Can we take a job, Luce?"

To his annoyance and disappointment, Lucy shook her head. "No," she sighed, "I promised Levy I'd help her out with something or another. Translating a reading material that she's doing for a job. She's promised to give me a portion of the reward if I do it, so…"

"Okay, okay," he muttered despite his irritation. They hadn't gone on a job in ages and he was bored beyond his belief. But, on the bright side, he supposed, Lucy wasn't in any danger while they remained in Magnolia. He didn't have to keep an eye on her as constantly as he did when they were out and about in other places in Fiore because at almost every twist and turn of Magnolia was an ally, one of their nakama.

It was something he greatly appreciated during times like the Battle of Fairy Tail. Not that it had done them any good when he'd been trapped and Lucy had fought off Bickslow.

He was still proud of her for that. Even prouder now than back then, because while they'd been partners since almost the beginning, he hadn't known her as well as he did now. He hadn't known that she fretted about the public thinking her to be the weakest member of Team Natsu after even Happy (he loved his friend, he really did, but Happy...sometimes he was worse than a random monkey in a fight). He hadn't known that she treasured the keys she held so much despite the Tower of Heaven, Phantom Lord, and Deliora.

But now he did.

And while it stung a little, Natsu was pretty damn sure that those keys meant even more than he did sometimes.

Aquarius for sure. While Lucy loved them all, Aquarius was her most precious companion by far when it came to her Zodiacs, and Natsu couldn't blame the Water Bearer for being so when she'd been with Lucy while the rest of them hadn't. No one had been there like Aquarius had been when Lucy had lost her mother.

What? Natsu liked to read...when it was Lucy's writing only though.

"How 'bout tomorrow then?" the dragon slayer asked. "We could-"

Lucy shook her head. "Sorry, Natsu, it's going to take a long time to get this thing translated...it's a good thousand pages or so."

Natsu pouted. "Levy's done more in an hour! C'mon, Luce! I'm bored!"

"Then take one with Happy," Lucy suggested. "You could take Wendy and Charle with you, it'd be good for Wendy to see what I have to deal with when we go out on jobs."

He grimaced. He wasn't exactly the best at keeping himself under control when he got excited over something ridiculous… "But I want to go on a job with you. You're my partner, Luce, it's not as fun when you're not there."

A frown appeared, however, when she merely shrugged. "Too bad."

... _did I piss her off? No, can't be that…_ Natsu found himself at a loss. Why the hell was she so...irritated? She never got this angry about him pushing to go on jobs. Usually she did it just to tease him, to get him to pay attention to what she might be feeling at the moment, but this time it seemed like she genuinely didn't want to go with him in particular.

It hurt, honestly.

He loved going on jobs with Lucy, they were a hell of a lot more fun than when he went with anyone else.

They arrived at the guildhall, and Natsu diverted his attention onto his favorite thing to do at that moment. He slammed his shoed foot into the doors, kicking them open with a loud crash. "WE'RE _HERE_!" he bellowed.

"Yo, Natsu!" Cana laughed, waving an arm in greeting. The beer held in that hand spilled all over the place, sloshing onto a sputtering Pantherlily, who sat beside her on the bar with a smaller cup of kiwi juice. He'd been seated near Gajeel, who gave Cana a deadly look from irritable crimson eyes.

"Welcome back," Mirajane said pleasantly from where she was seated. She lifted a hand in a quiet greeting to Lucy, who merely smiled back, not saying anything before going to join a focused Levy, who sat at a table with a couple books and notes spread around her.

"Hungry, Natsu?" Lisanna asked from where she was helping Mira behind the bar. Her blue eyes gleamed knowingly as she arched an eyebrow at her childhood friend.

Natsu smirked, tugging his scarf away from his mouth and waggling his eyebrows playfully. "Damn right, I'm hungry. Give me a lot of something that's spicy as hell." He dropped into a barstool a few seats away from Cana, who cackled about something the rest of them didn't know about.

"Coming right up," Mira giggled. She sped back into the kitchen, already tying her hair out of her face so that she could cook one of her special meals, designed specifically for his tastes.

"Has Happy stopped by?" Natsu asked Lisanna, folding his arms on the bar and then resting his chin on them so that his onyx eyes peered up at her.

She shook her head with a gentle smile. "No," she told him with a knowing tone. Lisanna was one of very few who knew of his nightmares. Happy had recommended telling her when he'd grown stressed about not knowing what to do about the situation, and Natsu was glad he'd listened to his blue friend. She helped keep everyone else off his back when they questioned about the situation. Lowering her voice, she stopped what she was doing and leaned over the bar. "Nightmares?"

"Yeah," he uttered with a heavy sigh that had a wisp of flame escaping his lips. He glanced back at where Lucy had leaned over Levy, pointing something out in a thoughtful tone. His gaze darkened. "Same as always."

She gave a sad smile and reached out to pat his arm. "Don't worry, Natsu. They're just dreams. Lucy's still here and alive, remember?"

"Yeah, I guess so," the dragon slayer agreed reluctantly before lighting up in excitement when the doors opened again and a familiar Exceed sped inside. "Happy!"

"Natsu!" the cat wailed as he slammed into Natsu's chest. Natsu hugged him tightly with a grimace, clearly understanding that he'd upset his best friend without meaning to. Happy, however, jumped right into the subject, looking up at him. "You had the nightmare again, didn't you?"

"Yeah," Natsu sighed, shaking his head with an annoyed look. "Sorry, little buddy."

"S'okay. You owe me a fish though, got it?"

"Understood." Natsu grinned, and Happy returned it before hopping onto the bar as Lisanna offered him one of his favorite types, agreeing to put it on Natsu's tab. Not that Natsu ever really paid his tab unless money got tight in the guild. Then he played it in full. People were suspicious of where he got the money since he generally was the one who payed for the damage he caused, but he ignored them.

What?

Just because he was kind of an idiot - according to them, anyways - didn't mean he didn't know how to save his money. Besides, Natsu didn't have to pay rent. He'd worked hard on carefully building his own place out in the safety of the forest as soon as he'd been old enough to do so, even working a few special spells that Igneel had taught him into the wood so that if he accidentally started a fire it wouldn't burn down.

"Here we are," Mira suddenly interrupted, placing a plate full of delicious smelling spicy foods. Natsu mumbled a thanks before setting to work on devouring it, glancing over his shoulder every now and then at his partner, who had seated herself and was listening intently to Levy complain about the ancient language.

 _Huh_ , Natsu snickered. That was a new one. Levy, complaining about a _language_? He'd never heard that before. Usually the bookworm enjoyed translating more than anything else, and that included the occasional jobs she took with a certain dragon slayer, who was watching her and Lucy as well.

Gajeel was trying to be discreet, Natsu knew, but it was _Gajeel_. The bastard didn't have the word in his vocabulary. His piercing crimson gaze kept darting between his drink, Lily, and Levy, an unending circle.

Lisanna followed his gaze, still leaning on the bar, and giggled. "I wish they'd just get together already," she drawled as she pulled back, not seeming to care if Gajeel's sensitive ears caught her words. They did, and she grinned when he shot her a piercing glare as his cheeks flushed just barely.

Natsu cackled under his breath and the glare turned on him. "You wanna go, Salamander?" Gajeel challenged quietly, his body poised in a way that promised death to any unfortunate soul that pissed him off.

"Yeah, I wanna go." Natsu grinned, flames leaping to life along his fingers and engulfing his food in fire in his excitement.

"You know it's true," Lily sighed, deciding to intervene. "You do need to simply admit what you feel and move on with your life." He took a sip of his kiwi juice, not bothered by Gajeel's look of horrified betrayal.

Natsu only laughed again and devoured the remainder of his breakfast.

After only a few hours of hanging around the guildhall, Natsu grew bored. Gray was away with Erza and Juvia, working a rather hard job that would take a while, which meant he really didn't have anyone to insult since Gajeel wasn't going to rise to the bait.

Too bad Gildarts wasn't there.

Happy left to bother Charle a bit when she and Wendy arrived, Romeo and Macao in tow, and Natsu grumbled before going to try and rejoin Lucy and Levy, not getting any of what they were trying to figure out. Yet he sat himself down beside his partner and studied the writing curiously. "Hi, Levy."

"Natsu," she replied without looking at him. Her hazel eyes scanned the text before her, the magic glasses she wore working overtime. Her hair was tied completely out of her face in a ponytail alongside her usual headband, and she looked serious as she suddenly asked, "What do you think about this one, Lucy?" She pointed to a symbol.

Lucy's dark eyes darted just barely to a book she had open before shaking her head. "I don't know...I don't remember seeing it in any of the stuff I've looked through up until now."

Natsu thought about calling her out on her lie but chose not to. He knew Lucy wasn't really doing her part of the work. The celestial mage was lying; she hadn't found the symbol because she hadn't looked whatsoever. Slightly annoyed, he simply took the book from her and went to work on scanning through things until his head spun. Levy shot him a surprised look but said nothing, going back to her own research.

"Here," Natsu said suddenly a few minutes later. "The symbol. Means something along the lines of 'mythical'."

"... _you_ figured it out?" Levy said with a completely surprised look, yet wrote the word down in her notes, copying the symbol down beside it. "How?"

He held the book out and she leaned over Lucy's lap to look. "Here," he said, pointing to where the symbol and word was on the page. "See? Gotta look through this book using the shapes. It's an old language, so the dictionaries are made differently." The dragon slayer wrinkled his nose in thought, and Levy giggled at the sight. "Actually, looks kinda like...oi! Gajeel!"

The iron dragon slayer grunted as he glanced over. "The fuck you want, Salamander?"

Lucy snorted in amusement, and Natsu grinned before waving for him to come over. "Got something I want ya to see."

Gajeel huffed and complained under his breath as he hauled his body away from the bar and stomped over to demand, "The hell you want me lookin' at? I don't do this kinda stuff and ya know it, shrimp."

"Stop calling me that," Levy grumbled. "Besides, I'm not the one who called you over here. That was Natsu."

Not bothered by Gajeel's glares, Natsu waved at the text in front of them. "Look. Looks like Draconic, doesn't it? S'a bit different, but…"

"It does," Gajeel agreed with reluctance. "It's gotta few of 'em I don't know though. Somethin' about...myths, right?"

The two women at the table stared at the pair of dragon slayers with astonished looks on their faces as the two argued about what another symbol might represent before Levy cried, "You...you knew what the language was?! You _saw_ me stressing out over it yesterday and you didn't even say something?!"

Gajeel shrugged. "We said it's _like_ Draconic. Don't actually know it."

"Draconic?" Lucy asked curiously.

"Language of the dragons. Igneel taught it to me," Natsu said simply. He leaned over to peer at the words, squinting. "It's kinda weird, honestly. I can't read half of it 'cause it's in another language. But they're a lot alike, there's a few words I can pick out. I speak it better than I write it and read it, but Gajeel knows how to read it."

"Were you ever going to share this information with us?" Levy demanded, glaring full out at the uncaring iron mage. He only smirked, amused with her attitude about the matter. She sighed heavily before looking back at the text spread out in front of her. "Well, if it's not exactly like Draconic, maybe it's from the same time period at least?"

"Probably," Gajeel grunted as he looked it over again. "There's a date here." He tapped the old paper with a finger, ignoring Levy's protest. "X000. Probably written the day people created the idea of dates. Ya should find a historian, shorty. They'll know more about that time then we do."

Lucy frowned and glanced over at Natsu. "From what I've heard on it, isn't that a time before humans were as major a species? We didn't come into power that early..."

"There were dragons _way_ before humans," Natsu told her. "They live for a long time. Might have been other creatures that came up with the date stuff and wrote it down."

Levy threw her arms into the air. "The hell have you been doing over there at the bar, you two!? I could have used this information weeks ago! Guess I'll ask the Magic Council if they can find someone for me to talk to...they're the ones who sent the job request anyways…"

Gajeel cracked a yawn as he shoved his hands into his pockets, crimson eyes watching her for a moment before huffing, "Suppose I could go with ya. You'll need someone who knows Draconic."

Mira, who'd been eavesdropping on the entire conversation as she cleaned up a nearby table from some messy eating habits of a few mages, suddenly piped up, her blue eyes curious. "No need to go anywhere, Levy."

Levy glanced over at the silver-haired barmaid. "What?"

Mira only gave the young bookworm a kind smile. "You don't have to go anywhere to talk to a member of the Magic Council. Master received a message from Yukino-chan early this morning."

Lucy perked up at the name. "He did? What'd she say?"

Mira giggled. "It turns out that some girl found Frosch when he was lost." They all groaned, aware of the Exceed's habit of getting easily lost, even if he was only a few feet from his friends. "She took him back to their guildhall and introduced herself a mage that works under the Magic Council. It appears they're sending her here to Magnolia to investigate something they found suspicious. Sting, Rogue, and their Exceeds are coming as well. Someone requested their help specifically in town. Perhaps they can take a look as well? They were raised by dragons, weren't they?"

Levy beamed. "Great! This is lovely, they'll be able to help, I hope! Of course, the mage might not be too helpful, but I'm sure she can get into contact a lot easier than I can. I'll have what I need to translate this completely!"

Natsu's eyes lit up as well, and Mira sighed when he crowed, "Yes! Something to do! I've been wantin' to challenge that bastard!"

"Natsu!" Lucy whined in exasperation. "Calm down already, would you? Sting's going to have work to do, he's not going to want to spar with you!"

But her words had no effect on the dragon slayer, who tipped his head back and bellowed out an excited shout that mixed with flames, which sprouted above them all. Levy screamed at him to stop and threw herself over the books to protect them when burning cinders fell and smoke began to rise. When one landed on Levy and she yelped in pain, Gajeel joined in the fray and slammed an iron club into Natsu's head, sending him flying away.

Mira only sighed as Natsu smashed through a table before flying back at Gajeel with an excited grin, and Happy came to hover beside her with a frown on his small face. Shaking her head, she told him, "Never a dull moment when Natsu is involved, is there?"

Happy shook his head. "Nope! He's been acting funny though."

"Oh?" Mira arched an eyebrow.

"I don't know how, but he has. He's had more nightmares lately."

"Poor guy." Mira gave a sympathetic look and then asked, "Does he know that you've told most of us?"

Happy smiled cheekily at that, tail twitching and wings beating at the air once. "Nope!"

"That's horrible."

"Maybe. Not as horrible as me telling Gajeel though."

"Point taken."

The two headed back to the bar.

* * *

 _NAIS is going to switch between views, as you can see. :D So we got a lot of Natsu this time around. Next chapter goes back to Rhith!_

 _Thanks to reviewers (Skullnar, Naluislove4, MaybeALittleBroken, PrincessSnowFlakes, metalican slayer, and sassykitten1701!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	3. Neráidan

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

Muffled laughter filled the silent air of the horse-drawn carriage, and the one behind it received a piercing glare from a rather irritable dark-haired man. This only created more laughter, and he gritted his teeth in frustration as Rhith burst into uncontrollable giggles that only made Frosch and Lector laugh as well from their seats in her lap.

"Sorry!" Rhith finally cried, her voice muffled. Her hands were clasped over her mouth to try and hold back her laughter, but she wasn't doing very well. She couldn't help it! The previously "fierce" and "all-powerful" Twin Dragons were practically unconscious from motion sickness, though Rogue was hiding it a bit better than the groaning Sting. "I just…" She paused to giggle again. "This is hilarious!"

"We're only laughing 'cause she's laughing," Lector added, snickering when she laughed.

"Fro doesn't laugh at you, Rogue, Fro laughs at Sting," Frosch promised, tail flicking excitedly from where it hang.

"How nice," Sting bit out sarcastically.

Rhith smirked, grateful for his and Rogue's pain - Sting's more than Rogue's, because at least Rogue knew the concept of personal space and wasn't as cocky as Sting was. It let her relax, knowing that they couldn't do anything in their current condition. She stroked Lector's head in thought, her lips pressing together.

She'd arrived at the guildhall as instructed when eight o'clock had rolled around, and had been somewhat surprised to discover that both dragon slayers were already prepared to leave at the right time. She'd thought that the blond guildmaster would have been more likely to sleep in, but he'd been as energetic as he had been the night before.

And a lot more flirty.

It had pissed Rhith off more than she could say when Sting had playfully grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it in greeting, his blue eyes watching her every move. Rogue warning him off had done nothing to put a stop to his behavior, much to her disappointment, and she'd dealt with the teasing jibes until they'd climbed aboard the carriage nearly an hour later.

So it was kind of nice seeing the two in such pain. Rogue was okay, she grudgingly admitted. Sting needed to back the hell off.

She smiled down at the two cats in her lap before looking thoughtfully out the window, resting her head on it. Her burgundy eyes searched the landscape with care for any sign of Magnolia, and she sighed in disappointment. They still had _hours_...and she was getting bored of sitting there in silence.

So, despite her hatred for Sting's bothersome actions, Rhith came up with a solution. She set Frosch and Sting aside with gentle hands before kneeling on the floor. Sting, who'd been doubled over with his head between his knees in an effort to rid himself of dizziness, glanced up weakly. "The hell are you doing?"

She ignored him. Rhith placed her hands on the floor with a firm look on her own face. She knew how to work her magic, and she was certain this would do what she wanted it to. Sure enough, the rumbling beneath their feet stopped, and the window disappeared. It was like they were suddenly in an empty room with only benches, and Rhith gave a smug smirk. "There," she told them as Sting suddenly sat up, startled. Rogue blinked a few times, and Rhith carefully explained what she'd done.

"I created the illusion that we're in a room," she reported, sitting back in her own place. She pulled Frosch back into her lap, leaving Lector to happily curl up at her side. She patted his head affectionately. "We're still moving in the carriage, but I don't think you'll be feeling anything." A tug on her magic warned that she'd used far more than she probably should have on such a thing, but she ignored it.

Rogue looked beyond interested in what she'd done, leaning forward and no longer looking sick as he questioned, "You put an illusion around us?"

"Mhm," she answered, patting Frosch's head. The illusion mage waved at the space around is. "The thing is, I can see around it if I want. That's the thing about being someone who specializes in illusions." She wiggled her fingers tauntingly. "I can make you see what I want you to see and you don't give a choice. But I can see what I want to see. I can see the illusion, but if I don't want to, it's gone."

"This is badass," Sting decided aloud, grinning at Lector. "Check it out, Lector, no issue whatsoever!"

"That's awesome!" the Exceed cheered, hopping to his feet and pumping a small furry fist in the air. His tail twitched as Frosch made some kind of purr when Rhith scratched his chin, making her giggle.

"Rhith-sama's great," Frosch purred happily, his tail curving affectionately around her wrist. Rhith only smiled gently at him, her gaze soft until Rogue caught her attention again, clearing his throat.

"You'll have to go forgive Sting for his behavior this morning," he told her, indicating what he meant by nodding at the mage beside him, who had suddenly tensed, looking uncertain.

Suddenly, it was like a change had taken place in the carriage. Rhith watched curiously as Rogue shifted forward, his own body tensed. Her burgundy eyes took in everything that happened, the way his shoulders angled so that they were at a slant, ready to shove himself between her and Sting, and the way Sting glared at him for it. There was a moment of crackling silence.

Rhith narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "...what the hell are you two doing?" Lector questioned with curiosity, and Rhith gave a look that demanded the same answer, losing her patience with them. Not caring that she was snapping at a guildmaster, who could easily report her to the Council and get her kicked out of her workplace, she scowled viciously at him.

The two, who Rhith _knew_ were partners and worked well as a team, suddenly were ready to tear each other apart.

"I suppose, it might be smart," Rogue began. "To explain ourselves before we arrive in Natsu's...domain."

"Ugh." Sting made a face, and Rhith frowned at the way he'd suddenly taken to breathing as little as he could. "Sucker's gonna make a huge deal out of it and tell _everyone_." He suddenly grinned, looking Rhith in the eye, and stated quite bluntly, "You smell freaking amazing."

"...excuse me?" Rith's tone was deadly, warning them that if they stepped in the wrong direction they'd set off an explosion that was Rhith Vila's temper. "You want to repeat that, Eucliffe-san?"

"I _said_ -"

"He's an idiot," Rogue sighed, shaking his head. "Lector."

Lector nodded and then promptly threw himself at Sting's face, smashing his paws on either of Sting's cheek as the white dragon slayer glared furiously at him for doing so, creating a funny picture of which Rhith wished she could frame and sell just to piss him off.

Rogue began to speak again, this time with careful explaining. "As Sting mentioned, your scent is quite...different," he told her, his voice stiff and awkward, as if he wasn't enjoying the choice of conversation. Rhith agreed with him there. She didn't exactly appreciate them commenting on her "scent".

"Different?" she questioned, arching an eyebrow.

"We can't explain it," Sting said as soon as Lector finally released him. He looked surprisingly serious now, rubbing his sore cheeks. He glanced over at her. "Some kind of...what, sweet smell?" Rogue gave a curt nod. "Either way, it's not something we've come across before."

 _"Well this is new, eh, Rogue?"_ he'd said the previous night.

" _Sting, you're making her uncomfortable. It is new, however, I agree."_

So that's what they'd been talking about, Rhith realized, leaning so that her elbows rested lightly on her knees. Her legs were clad in black magic-resistant material, created to fend off most kinds of destruction that could happen in the world of magic. "At least I don't smell bad," the illusion mage said in reluctant acceptance. _Maybe it has something to do with why normal people tend to avoid me…?_

She pushed that thought away. People didn't avoid her. They just moved out of her way, sensing that she meant business.

"Really." Rhith was grudgingly becoming curious. This might be something good to bring up with the Magic Council. They'd be able to look into it for her, investigate the situation further. She paused to pat Frosch's head before setting him aside. "Anything else I need to know?"

"Uh…" Sting narrowed his eyes in thought before giving a half-smirk. "Yeah. Kinda screws with our…" He fought for the word, frustrated, and Rogue rolled his eyes.

"Sense of control," the shadow dragon slayer finished, making Rhith cough to hide a laugh at the way they finished each other's sentences. It was hilarious. They'd been friends for so long, around each other so much, that they knew what the other was thinking. Though...she did silently admit it was good when battle time rolled around.

She supposed that's what teams were for.

"Yeah, that. Don't wanna let Fairy Tail know just yet that you know though, so don't say nothing. I wanna see what they try to do." Sting cracked a yawn, bored with all of the talk. Rhith's lips twitched and he noticed out of the corner of his eye, proud at himself for nearly making her smile in a way that wasn't at their expense. His determination to make sure that happened was growing with each passing moment. There was a bitterness that he didn't understand around her, though it did nothing to tarnish the scent that filled his nose, nearly making him drunk on it in the enclosed space.

He slammed a fist into the wall, making them all jump. "Oi! How long until we're there?"

"A few hours, s-sir," the driver said nervously.

Sting sighed heavily. This was going to kill him. "Lack of control" had nothing on what he felt like. He felt as if he had no control whatsoever left in him. If he was being perfectly honest, he wanted to-

Frosch interrupted his thoughts, which was probably a damn good thing. "Do you have anything you like to do, Rhith-sama?"

Rhith blinked in surprise, startled by the question and Sting found himself listening closely. Rogue was listening in as well, but only because Frosch had spoken, he was sure. That's just how his partner was; focused around Frosch and Frosch alone because that Exceed was hellishly good at getting lost.

"Um, I suppose I like to garden." Rhith spoke only after a few moments of contemplation. Her silvery brows were drawn down in thought, her lips parting with each word, all something Sting watched closely. "I was stationed in another country, caring for a wealthy family. I had my own cabin that I had a rather large garden. I was often complimented for it; apparently my vegetables were the largest in the area."

"Not a bad thing. Food's important."

All of the residents of the carriage stared at Sting, who merely shrugged. "What? I'm serious. Food. It's important."

"...I apologize _deeply_ ," Lector said, turning and bowing playfully to Rhith. "Sting-kun doesn't know what he's saying half the time."

"Lector!"

Smirking, Rhith replied, "I'm sure he's lost it. His brain must have been fucked up in some way, eh?"

" _Hey_ -"

"We're here!"

The driver sounded beyond relieved to announce such a thing, and Rhith dispelled her illusion with a wave of her hand. Rogue exited first, Sting close behind him and sneezing as he inhaled sharply, eager to breathe in air that wasn't filled with a scent that threatened to drive him insane. Rhith followed behind them, Frosch and Lector tucked under each of her arms.

Until she parted paths with the two dragon slayers, she had decided, the two "Exceeds", as they'd labeled them, were hers.

"Thank you," she told the driver politely, placing a rather high tip into the driver's palm when Lector had hauled himself onto her shoulder. The driver beamed at her.

"Request my assistance any time you need it, miss," he told her with a kind smile, which Rhith returned carefully, her burgundy eyes flashing with amusement. She cradled Frosch with both arms, ignoring the accidental scratches Lector's claws left on her shoulder. They meant nothing so long as she got to hold him.

Rhith peered at the town around them. Magnolia was a decently sized area, with beautiful blue skies showing above it. Buildings and streets were decent, looking nice despite the people that bustled around; Rhith supposed it was a good town because criminals didn't dare come near the mages that lived there. Fairy Tail was notorious for their protective nature of those who were innocent and their nakama. To get them as your enemy meant certain destruction.

Literally.

From where she stood, she could see two massive buildings. One was a church, beautiful and towering above the town. The other was a building even bigger with a flag at the top bearing the symbol anyone anywhere would recognize.

"I take it that the building over there with the flag on it is Fairy Tail's guildhall," Rhith sighed, starting forward. The dragon slayers followed, one on either side of her, and she stroked Frosch's head as she walked. It would be an interesting adventure, she mused. She'd never come into contact with Fairy Tail. She hoped they were nothing like the idiot who was teasingly poking her arm to try and get her attention.

"What?" Rhith huffed, turning a piercing glare on Sting. He didn't seem bothered by it, only gave a cocky grin as he spoke.

"Remember what we told ya? There are three first gen dragon slayers and one second gen. We don't know how the second gen does in regards to his nose, but Natsu-san's is incredibly sensitive." Sting's eyes flashed with an emotion Rhith couldn't place and she studied him with a suspicious look. She didn't exactly appreciate the fact that he was so close, but she pushed it aside in favor of deciding to take his advice.

"I see. Then I'll have to be careful, won't I." She waved him off, not looking concerned. She could handle herself against a couple over-curious dragon slayers. So long as this moron stayed out of her way.

There were murmurs as they headed for Fairy Tail, and Rhith couldn't hear the words exactly, but by the tones of voices, the people they passed had several opinions. There was excitement and curiosity over why Sabertooth was in Magnolia, as they rarely came by this way, and there was unhappiness and suspicion over the strange feeling that came with Rhith's presence. As per usual, Rhith ignored it. She was used to such things and felt no need to dwell on the past.

"Hey!"

All of them paused to look back at the voice, and Rhith found herself becoming wary, uncertain. She wasn't in the mood for people demanding to know what her problem was when she really didn't have one, but it happened when she was out and about. To her surprise, Rogue's face filled with surprise before recognition. "Ah, Gray," he greeted.

Rhith recognized the name instantly as soon as she rested her gaze on the man - and only because he had somehow lost his shirt. She silently admitted that he wasn't too bad on the eyes, though she didn't appreciate the fact that he'd somehow lost a portion of his clothes. Dark eyes darted to her with curiosity in their depths, and his eyebrows disappeared behind his black bangs.

The ice-make mage cocked his head just slightly. "You're the Council mage, right? Mira said you two would be bringing her with ya. Said something about being on our best behavior." He scoffed loudly at the thought. "Like Natsu's gonna be able to succeed at that."

Rith's lips curved into a friendly smile. Gray seemed like someone who was easy to get along with so long as you didn't piss him off. Before she could introduce herself, Frosh offered, "This is Rhith-sama. We like her."

Gray cast Frosch a grin. "I see. Hey, Frosch, nice to see ya. Lector."

"Hi!" Lector cheered, waving.

"Natsu-san around?" Sting asked, voice a mixture of excitement and wariness. He wanted to spar with the fire mage before he left Magnolia in the next week or two, and he knew that Natsu often times took jobs that took a while with Lucy and his own Exceed.

"Yeah." Gray hesitated before admitting, "It's kinda weird. Usually, he'd have guilt tripped Lucy into going on a job by now, but… Lucy must be pissed off about something or another. She's decided she's not going anywhere."

"Interesting," Rogue mused before waving Gray forward to join them. They set off again, Rhith listening closely for any hint of what she was there to investigate. "Has anything new happened as of recently? Fairy Tail always seems to have something...exciting going on."

"Not really." Gray rubbed the back of his head. "After the whole thing with the Celestial Spirits going out of whack, it's been pretty calm."

"Yukino mentioned that it had been one of her Spirits who caused most of the trouble in regards to the Zodiacs," Sting mused. "Kinda hard to follow the whole plan that they had, but glad to know that we won't be having to deal with any repercussions."

Rhith glanced at him with a look of mock surprise. "Look at you," she muttered under her breath, "You can use big words."

This earned a snicker from Lector and a giggle from Frosch. Rogue merely gave her a look that told her to cut it out despite the fact that she could more than likely report anything that would be true and get them into trouble - something she appreciated. Sting's lips slid into an amused grin, untouched by her "cruel" words, and Gray simply looked confused.

Rhith prepared herself for an onslaught of people as they approached the guildhall of Fairy Tail. She could hear noise exploding from it, even from where they were feet away, and she guessed that there were a large amount of people inside. She was proven right when the door flew open, and she could see dozens inside past the pair that had emerged.

Sting raised a hand in greeting, grinning hugely. "Hey, Wendy-chan," he called in greeting.

Her head snapped around, blue hair flying around her face as it lit up in a rather large smile. "Sting-san!" she called back, waving. "Rogue-san!" She paused at the sight of Rhith, her hand falling still as she studied Rhith curiously before greeting the others as well.

Rhith uncomfortably hugged Frosch to her chest. She could feel the girl's eyes on her, and despite their gentle curiousness, her eagerness made the young woman nervous. Still, she smiled in a hesitant way and bowed quickly, still holding Frosch. "Hello, I am a mage under contract with the Magic Council, Rhith Vila."

"Hi," Wendy said nervously.

"Hey, Romeo," Gray said with a snicker to the bewildered boy she'd brought outside. "Where are you two off to?" His eyes held a look that was just begging for him to give the ice-make mage something to tease about, but Romeo was smart about the matter and scoffed.

"Mira needed some more things," he explained. "Milk, sugar, the likes, so she sent Wendy and I to go get some. A lot of people are in there today...might be because Levy found something interesting. Everyone's trying to get a peek at it, and Gajeel's getting pissed off." He exchanged a grin with Wendy, who giggled. "He doesn't like how stressed out they're getting her to be."

"Oh?" Rhith frowned in curiosity. "What'd she find?"

Wendy spoke for him, her dark eyes watching Rith's every move with a gentle curiosity. "Levy was asked to translate some text for the Magic Council and was having some problems, so she had Lucy go help her. But Natsu figured out that it was a lot like the language of the dragons, Draconis. He and Gajeel have been helping them, but…" She shrugged. "I can't help either. I know less than everyone else does."

Sting reached out to pat her head. "No worries. We'll take a look. Weisslogia made damn sure that I could speak, read, and write it."

"Not that you tend to look at readings," Rogue said drily.

Gray snorted in amusement before waving Wendy off. "Go on, you two, I'll take them to see Gramps. Hurry up, too, Erza's coming in later and will want some strawberry cake."

Both shivered and hurried forward, Wendy falling back a few seconds to look hesitantly at Rhith a final time before sprinting after Romeo. "Wonder where Charle went," Gray uttered as he opened the door, indicating that they should follow him.

Rhith studied the large building the second she stepped inside, grateful for the sharp pain of Lector's claws on her shoulder and the solid weight of Frosch in her arms. She glared at Sting when he playfully nudged her forward a few steps, but he didn't seem to notice, eagerly searching for any sight of his "rival".

Rogue's eyes studied the amount of people in the guildhall with a slight huff. "Our guild is nowhere near this big," he murmured in a voice that Rhith just barely heard. She smirked at his words, amused by the fact that he seemed to be jealous.

"Eh," Sting muttered without concern, instead stopping and grinning. Rhith curiously followed his gaze, and Lector whispered in her ear, "Watch this," just _seconds_ before a flaming mess came hurtling out of nowhere and slammed into the white dragon slayer. Sting yelped as he toppled over, rolling to avoid a flaming fist with a laugh.

"Natsu Dragneel," Rhith sighed in recognition as the two began to spar, leaping this way and that as they fought to avoid one another alongside striking. Her eyes followed them with care, calculating quickly that despite Sting's speed, Natsu would eventually pin him. There wasn't a single person involved with the Council that didn't recognize the fire mage.

"Natsu!" a feminine voice shouted above the excited commotion that had arisen alongside the gathering crowd. A young blonde appeared, having shoved herself through the group to get to the front. Her hands planted themselves on her shapely hips, her lips drawn into a pout and her brown eyes ablaze. "What are you doing? You nearly burned all of Levy's notes!"

Both dragon slayers paused in contemplation before Natsu playfully shoved away. "Okay, you win. For now."

Sting snickered as he rolled lightly to his feet. "Damn right, I win."

"Arrogant ass," Rhith sniffed, earning a snicker from both Exceeds that she held. Rogue simply made a sound of disapproval towards his partner before sighing, "Are you able to direct us to where Makarov is, Natsu?"

"He's out for the moment, meeting with Blue Pegasus' guildmaster," a silver-haired woman called from behind the bar. She gave a friendly smile. "He'll be back tomorrow morning, so you can spend some time here and get to work tomorrow."

"Thanks," Lector said to the barmaid.

Frosch suddenly shifted, and Rhith released him so that he could drop lightly to the floor, standing beside she and Rogue. Lector followed close behind, and Ruth's mouth curved into a delighted smile as another Exceed scampered into view, this one blue with a white belly and tail tip. "Hi, guys," he greeted.

"Hello, Happy," Frosch cheerfully said. Lector muttered a greeting, not as enthusiastic as he could be.

Rhith shook her head as the Exceeds began to chatter together, soon joined by two others, one of which paused to greet Rogue and then glance confusedly at her. She merely smiled faintly before lifting her gaze when Natsu's loud voice caught her attention. She was surprised to have his sharp onyx eyes studying her with a wary look, his brows drawn into a look that made her nervous. "...who are you?" he finally demanded quite rudely.

Immediately, Sting was growling, "Watch it."

Natsu huffed, turning a bewildered and lost look onto the white dragon slayer, who glared at him in response. There was a tense moment of silence before a new person broke it, her claps intending to catch everyone's attention. "Alright, alright, break it up, you two. I can't study with the commotion. All dragon slayers and the Councilwoman, with me if you don't mind. Lucy, you, too."

Rhith blinked in surprise at being addressed, but stepped forward as instructed. She was on guild territory, she decided, she'd do what they wanted for the time being. She could interrogate the ones around her for information while doing it.

"Hold on, just a second," Natsu protested. "I wanna know why-"

Sting clapped a hand over his mouth. "Shut _up_ , man," he hissed. "Don't need to go announcing it to the rest of the world!" Rhith hummed knowingly; she knew exactly what they were talking about now.

Everyone in the guildhall stared at them for all of a few seconds before moving on, used to the strangeness of dragon slayers. The woman who'd given orders paused to peer curiously at Natsu and Sting before introducing herself to Rhith. "Hi! I'm Levy McGarden, the one the Council asked to translate some texts."

"Rhith Vila," she answered, shaking Levy's offered hand.

"Gray mentioned that you had something related to the Draconis language," Rogue commented, glancing warily back at where Frosch was chattering with the other Exceeds. Not thinking Frosch would get lost in the guildhall, he focused his attention elsewhere. "That is, before he left to escape Juvia."

"Right," Levy confirmed as she led all five of them over to a table, where Rhith saw another person leaning over the collection of papers. His head snapped up at their arrival, and irritably crimson eyes scanned over them all before locking on her. A low growl thundered dangerously in his throat. "The fuck are you?"

"Excuse me?" Rhith huffed, insulted by his choice of words. She frowned, crossing her arms tightly across her chest.

"Gajeel," Levy whined before pushing him aside in favor of grabbing the old book. She handed it to Rogue with loving hands, and Rogue studied the language written there, Sting peering over his shoulder with an uninterested look. "Well?"

"...Draconis," Sting huffed, "But not exactly. Pisses me off, actually."

"Could be from the same origin," Rogue offered with a calm look, nodding in greeting to a fairly huffy Gajeel, who looked ready to explode over some minor thing.

"So you can't read it?" Levy sighed in disappointment.

"May I?" Rhith asked, holding her slim pale arms out for the large book. Levy was a few inches shorter than she was, she realized as the book was given to her. Rhith turned her gaze down and scanned over the page for a moment before taking on a puzzled look. She opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off when Gajeel suddenly slammed a fist down on the table, a snarl escaping his throat.

"Gajeel!" Lucy snapped when he tore through some of the notes, but the dragon slayer didn't seem to care, only glaring viciously at Rhith in a way that made her wary before turning and storming away.

"Sorry!" Levy cried with a look of distress, wanting to go after him yet not daring to. The other three males present exchanged looks, Natsu's more confused than knowing like Rogue's and Sting's.

"You were saying?" Lucy prodded Rhith after a moment.

"Oh!" Rhith set the book down on the table, her head cocking curiously. "Right! I was wondering what you were doing with a book about suspicions on the history of dragons." Silence as they stared at her, and she shrugged. "It's a textbook, basically. It explains different eras of time, like a history book. The title says it all, see?" She closed the book, pointing to the old cover. " _History of the Draconic Race._ I can't see what the author's name was, it's faded, but the pages are in pretty good condition and should be easy enough to decode."

"...huh," Lucy uttered. "You can read it?"

Rhith gave her a strange look. "You can't?"

"Didn't ya hear us?" Sting demanded with a roll of his blue eyes. "It's like-"

"Draconis, I know. Jeez, pay attention," Rhith snapped, losing patience. "If you know Draconis, than you should know Neráidan."

Their only answer was silence.

* * *

 _What's this?! Rhith knows of the language? o.O Lol._

 _Thanks to reviewers (Naluislove4, sassykitten1701, Kauia, OwlChaser113, PinkFireandGoldenStars, summercharizard, and NaLu and InuKag!) and those who favorited and followed!_


	4. Poisonous Air

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

Natsu couldn't bring himself to tear his sharp onyx eyes from Rhith's face as she spoke casually about the old book in her hands like it was no big deal that she could easily read the language it was written in. Everyone else was staring at her, too, so it wasn't really all that big a deal that he was, but he couldn't understand.

Sting had ordered him not to say anything as soon as he'd opened his mouth to do so, so Natsu knew he wasn't the only one suffering. Though suffering wasn't the right word, he supposed. It wasn't like it was killing him to be in the same vicinity; actually, it was quite the opposite. He didn't get why Gajeel had been so determined to get away when he wanted _closer_.

He shifted his weight so that his arm brushed lightly against Lucy's and she gave him a quick smile before returning her attention to Rhith. He wasn't attracted to Rhith. She was pretty of course, but...there was no way he was attracted to her. That kind of attention belonged to Lucy and Lucy alone, though she didn't seem to know it. The weirdo. Did she really think he'd throw his life on the line for anyone like he had for her?

He wanted to be friends though. It wasn't often that he felt the need to be friends with people outside of his guild. Other guilds were one thing, as they often times cooperated on some things, but this? He felt the tug like it was an itch that he couldn't scratch. There was a sweltering need to be friendly, to convince everyone else to be friendly, too.

Of course, the only one who didn't seem to be friendly was Gajeel, and he was gone, thank the heavens. He cocked his head in curiosity when Rhith mentioned a language he didn't recognize. Something that started with the letter 'n'. He wasn't sure.

"Come on," she urged, piercing burgundy eyes darting to each of them in turn. Her petite form was slimmer than Levy's, Natsu noticed distantly. Levy was shorter by only an inch or two, and she was small, but Rhith was _tiny_. He could have looked at her wrong and her delicate wrists would have broken in half. "Neráidan? You've never heard of it? What about you?" she turned to a startled Levy. "It's an ancient language, but…"

"I've never heard of it," Levy said with a small frown. "Sorry."

Rhith sighed in disappointment and Natsu felt a distant pain of guilt. He _should_ have known, he told himself. Apparently Sting was giving himself the same talk, because his shoulders shifted as he huffed out an irritated breath.

Curious, Natsu took in their expressions. Rogue was as stoic as ever, the only sign that he was affected by Rhith's strange scent being the tilt of his shoulders in her direction, but Sting's gaze never left her. Natsu's lips twitched; the bastard looked like Gajeel did when he looked at Levy.

"Who used to speak Neráidan?" Lucy questioned as she lightly nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "If the dragons spoke Draconis, then who spoke that language?"

Rhith seemed to think it over before shaking her head. "I don't know," she said honestly, slightly apologetic. "But if you want, I'll help you translate it after I've finished up the work I'm supposed to do in the area. Shouldn't take me more than a few days to gather all of my information." She flashed the two women a quick smile, and Natsu found himself pleased that she seemed to not mind his nakama.

"Interesting that such a language exists," Rogue commented as Rhith gently rested the book on the table. "I wasn't aware of it. I believed Draconis to be the last of the ancient languages that anyone knew of."

"It is," Levy murmured suspiciously, utterly bewildered. She peered at the illusion mage for a few minutes before shrugging. "Anyways, you're welcome to stay and have something to eat. The inn down the street should have some rooms available, and like Mira said, Master will be back in the morning. I think I'm going to go find Gajeel...I wonder why he left?"

"I'll accompany you if that's alright," Rogue mused, stepping over to the solid-script mage's side. "I'd like to have a conversation between dragon slayers...Frosch!"

"Coming!" Frosch called, bidding his fellow Exceeds farewell before hurrying over. He stumbled and then kept himself on his feet miraculously, his tail lashing.

Rhith watched them go, and Natsu studied her expression with curiosity before giving a grin that showed off his fangs. "You hungry? Mira makes _really_ good food. Right, Luce?"

Lucy, who'd been distracted by something he hadn't noticed, blinked and then smiled faintly. "Yeah. Mira's food is delicious. You should try some of her cake, you'd like it."

Natsu gave his partner a strange look; Lucy _hated_ Mira's cake. Not because it wasn't delicious - heaven forbid you say that, because it meant that there was something seriously wrong with you. It was amazingly delicious. Something that the stars themselves - and he meant that quite literally - loved to devour. Loke often times popped out on his own power to snatch up a plate. Lucy hated it because she loved it too much. Which made no sense to him.

How could you hate something you loved?

But she claimed that she couldn't eat it, that it would make her lose her "glorious figure".

So why was she recommending it? Usually, she warned other women of the delicious temptation.

Still, not wanting to upset Lucy, because that would sadden him despite his eagerness, he agreed. "Her cake's _awesome_. So is everything else she makes. Stay away from Cana though, she'll get you drunk as soon as she can."

"Oi!" said brunette drawled, hurling a glass. It struck him hard, nearly shattering on impact and Natsu yelped, dropping down and clutching his head in pain, shooting her a sharp look. "Watch it, dragon boy!"

"Ow!" Natsu whined. "Lucy! Cana's being mean!"

"You sound like Happy. Stop it, it's freaking me out," the blonde said without a lick of compassion as she turned away. Natsu glared half-heartedly at her, unhappy with her attitude. Just what had he done to piss her off? Normally, she would have laughed with a gentle smile on her pretty face before mocking him about how such a powerful dragon slayer was a baby.

As if sensing his irritation, Rhith spoke up, her gaze watching Lucy with care as she headed over to speak with Wendy, who'd returned and was glancing their way every now and then. Sting leaned against the table, hands shoved into his pockets and blue eyes uncaring as he watched the people around them - yet darting to Rhith every few moments to make sure she was okay.

"Are you okay?" she asked, smiling hesitantly. She looked nervous. Natsu's head was spinning at how fast she went from almost scared to utterly confident. "That looked painful."

"I'm fine," he said with a grin, hopping back up to his feet. He playfully spat a wisp of fire into the air, watching as the smoke curled graciously towards the ceiling. "Happens all the time."

Rhith took on an amused but pleasant look that looked like it belonged on her face. He scolded himself with a huff that made her giggle. He really needed to stop thinking such stupid thoughts! "I see. Well, you should watch what you do then, Dragneel-san. Sometimes words can offend people in a way that causes more trouble than it's worth."

"Meh. Not in our guild," the fire mage laughed. "We just brawl it out and everything turns out okay."

Rhith couldn't help but smile at that admission before she turned back to the book she'd placed on the table. Natsu watched her expression flip between confusion and a slight hint of fear before calming. "Now is as good a time as ever…" she muttered before turning back to him. Natsu jumped when her expression changed to one of fierce determination.

"Dragneel-san," she began, but blinked when he cut her off firmly.

"Natsu," he told her, folding his hands behind his head and giving her a friendly grin. "Call me Natsu."

"Okay then," she said with a slight roll of her eyes. " _Natsu_. Can I ask you a few questions?" She waited until he had nodded before explaining. "I was sent here to investigate an influx in power a few weeks back. Eucliffe-san and Rogue mentioned that whatever had happened had created a rather strange scent that lasted a while...do you happen to know anything about it?"

There was a brief moment where Natsu stared at her. Was she _insane_? "What the hell are you talking about?" he demanded. He looked bewildered, like a chicken with its head chopped off. "We've had nothin' happen around here. Been normal. The only thing different is you guys suddenly coming into town, ya know?"

It was Sting's turn to take on a weird look. His blue eyes were filled with confusion as he stared at Natsu. "Natsu-san," he began slowly, "The entire place was _reeking_ of magic. Badly enough that Rogue and I went miles around to get to Hargeon. And it wasn't magic that we've come across before. You sure you're okay? Your nose holding up?"

Natsu bristled in anger. How dare he come walking in and say such things in _his_ guild's building?! "My nose is just fine, so shut up!" Natsu gave a furious growl that had Sting cackling.

"If you're going to interrupt my interrogation," Rhith said bitingly. He glanced at her, arching an eyebrow. "Then you'll leave."

"Nah," Sting drawled, leaning closer to her with an eagerly challenging look. Natsu shifted uneasily when she scowled, glaring up at him. "I think I'll stay right here."

" _Sting-kun_ ," Lector's voice suddenly huffed. The Exceed had appeared, and was pointing with a look of irritation on his face. Rhith's scowl changed into an adoring look and Natsu found himself looking at her strangely. Was it that easy to make her happy? Hell, he'd put Happy in her arms if that's how it was. "Don't be rude to Rhith-sama."

"Really," Rhith sighed. "It's _just_ Rhith."

"I'm not being rude," Sting whined, earning a disgusted look from the silver-haired woman. Natsu snickered; _what the hell are you, a child?_

Rhith stooped down to pick up Lector, and he didn't seem to mind as she hugged him to her with a huge smile. Natsu decided then and there that he'd wrap Happy up and a bow as a friendly gift. To try and encourage her to like his guild. People would question it, but to hell with it; if she wanted to hold the Exceeds, she'd damn well get to.

Lector had no problems with the set up. In fact, he snuggled closer.

"A strange scent?"

All of them looked over to see a nervously smiling Wendy. His nakama looked curious and worried about Rhith at the same time, and he realized that she, too, was smelling the strange scent their new friend gave off. The sky mage searched Rhith's gaze for a moment. "You said there was a strange scent, right, Sting-san?"

"Yeah. All over Magnolia. Still a few traces if you smell hard enough." Sting wrinkled his nose and Natsu paused before inhaling sharply, his nose seeking out any trace of strange magic. But he came up blank, only smelling what it usually smelled like.

"I got nothing," he reported.

Wendy fidgeted and Rhith smiled kindly as she knelt. She'd been taller than Wendy standing, but now, she looked up into the other girl's eyes. _Wendy Marvell_ , she remembered. One of the Councilman had talked often about her. He was fond of the small girl. "You can tell me, Wendy-chan," she said gently. "I won't say anything against you."

Wendy took a deep breath before admitting, "For a while now...there's a taste in the air. The wind and sky...well, they belonged to Grandeeney, and so I can taste the air." Rhith nodded at her explanation and Wendy continued, her brown eyes troubled as she messed with a lock of blue hair. "There's been a strange taste. All day. I can't get it out of my mouth, and…" She glanced nervously at Natsu. "Natsu, it gets worse every time I come in here. And even more so when-"

"Sorry about that!"

They were interrupted by Levy's return. Natsu studied her flushed cheeks and decided that the young woman must have had an angry run in with Gajeel. Her dark eyes were flooded with barely concealed anger. She went to work on gathering her ruined notes and the book. "I'm going to go home and study this some more...Sting, Rogue needs some help," she sighed. "Apparently Frosch wandered off again."

Natsu wasn't the only one in the nearby area that moaned and groaned their frustrations.

Rhith, her conversation with Wendy forgotten, hurried to stand, still holding an equally as exasperated Lector in her arms. "Is he going to be okay?"

"Trust me," Sting grunted as he grabbed her wrist. She didn't bother to snap at him, to concerned for her newfound friend Frosch to be bothered as he hauled her towards the doors of the guildhall. Wendy and Natsu exchanged a look before calling for their Exceeds and hurrying after them.

"He'll be fine."

* * *

After what seemed like hours, it was - to none of their surprise - Rhith who found the missing Frosch. She'd had Lector and Sting with her - the blond dragon slayer hadn't left her side for a _second_. Natsu found it suspicious. He'd been searching with Wendy - almost all of Team Natsu had been the only one to really pitch in with the search, which meant that Erza, Natsu, Gray, and Wendy alongside Happy and Charle had gone out - and had talked with the smaller dragon slayer about the entire matter.

It had turned out that Wendy smelled it, too. The strange scent was enticing, Natsu thought. It had managed to pull several emotions from each of them, but rather than wanting to be close friends with her, Wendy had wanted to make sure she wasn't sick. One sneeze when they'd come across each other and she'd been hurrying over with her magic ready despite Charle's brisk scolding.

He'd remained quiet around Rhith and Sting, but the second they came across a suspicious shadow, Natsu had somehow dragged Rogue out to talk, growling and demanding answers despite Wendy's urges to calm down.

Rogue, pissed off over the fact that he'd managed to somehow lose his friend - Natsu really thought that he needed to calm down and teach Frosch how to find his way around - had bit out a few words that had only served to confuse him more before running off.

Apparently the Twin Dragon Slayers were affected, too. Neither knew what the entire scent business was about, and Rogue had warned Natsu to keep an eye on Sting for him because he guaranteed that Sting's view of the whole situation was anything but pure.

Natsu had grumbled about the idea.

Sting, attracted to Rhith in a way that he felt about Lucy? Of course, he meant emotionally. It was disgusting to think about the pair with a physical attraction, which was something Natsu _knew_ Sting was clearly thinking about, but dragon slayers didn't take such ideas lightly. If Sting had contemplated such things, then he'd contemplated the other half, too.

While they weren't their dragon parents in regards to the whole "one mate for life" thing, it had been drilled into their minds from an early age that you picked romantic partners with care. They weren't something to be played with and thrown away. Take him for example. Natsu had found himself Lucy and while he'd started out as seeing her as just a friend, things had changed. Lucy meant more to him than anything. She was his partner, his best friend, and - he hoped - someday possibly more.

 _"The biggest difference in this,"_ Igneel had once told him in that rumbling voice, _"Is that you will never throw the partner you pick for life away. Is that clear, Natsu?"_

It hadn't been a request, it had been an order, and not one that Natsu even wanted to ignore.

Lucy was someone he'd keep around for as long as he lived, even if she chose to marry someone else. As long as she was happy, so was he, and that was something he was fine with.

Natsu had been thinking over all of this on his and Wendy's walk back to the guildhall to meet up with everyone. Warren had informed them only moments before that Frosch had been found, and Natsu was glad that Happy and Charle had teamed up and gone elsewhere, so he could talk with Wendy.

"Something's wrong in Magnolia," the sky dragon slayer suddenly whispered. Natsu came to a halt to look at her. Her eyes were misted over with fear. Her fingers touched her lips, and she looked ill. "The air, Natsu...the _air_. It's poisoned, I think...I think I'm going to be sick if I have to go near Lucy again."

Natsu's eyes latched onto her. "...huh?"

She looked apologetic as she spoke now. "Something's wrong with Lucy, Natsu...really, _really_ wrong! It doesn't smell like her, and the air around her tastes like what I imagine the worst thing you can think of tastes like! I'm sorry, but it's true!"

His heart thudding in his chest, Natsu clenched his hands into fists.

He'd known it.

He'd recognized somewhere in the back of his mind from the second he'd woken up that morning that something about his partner wasn't right. Lucy would have laughed at his idiocy when Cana had hurled a glass at him. Lucy should have made sure he was okay, gotten more excited over his knowledge of the language of the dragons. Lucy should have agreed to take a job with him, all while complaining about her damn rent and his lack of concern for it. She should have been eager to chat with Rhith. Eager to help in finding Frosch.

Yet she was back at the guildhall, simply watching the others entertain themselves.

His voice cracked as he responded. "I know. I smelled it, too. Lucy's not herself...but I can't...I don't want to lose her, Wendy. What if something's wrong and it's my fault that she goes away?"

Wendy studied his expression with a look of understanding. She, too, had lost her parent, and she knew the desperation he felt. The guild and her family meant _everything_ to her. The idea of losing them, any of them, hurt her more than they'd ever know. "I don't know," she whispered. "What are we going to do, though? No one else has noticed, and Vila-san and the Sabertooth mages are here for different matters."

"One of which is their imagination," Natsu uttered, earning a faint laugh from his small friend.

"Natsu," Wendy told him gently, "We should talk to Master and maybe one of the S-Class mages, they might help us figure out what's wrong. The rest of the team, too. I saw Gray looking at her earlier, and he was worried. Juvia wasn't too happy about it."

"No," he said firmly. "Maybe it's just something we're imagining...I want to give it some time. Let's wait until Rhith's gone, and then we'll deal with the situation. I don't want to be getting everyone upset if there's no reason."

"I don't want Vila-san to get into any trouble," Wendy agreed. There was a pause before she admitted, "But I don't think Vila-san likes Lucy, and I don't think Lucy likes Vila-san. They kept looking at each other...Lucy was giving her mean looks and Vila-san looked just as suspicious as we are…" Wendy took a moment to consider this, searching Natsu's gaze before murmuring, "I wonder...no. It's impossible." She shook her head to clear it before turning her own eyes elsewhere. "How are your nightmares? Is she still able to rid you of them?"

Wendy was another person he'd gone to for help. She didn't know what he dreamed of, but she knew it was bad, especially since he sometimes asked for her to help him get sleep so that he could do things the next day. She never taunted him, never wanted to tease him. She knew and accepted that he had bad nightmares that required Lucy's calming touch.

"They've been worse," he whispered. "They won't...even last night. I went to Luce's apartment and it was still pretty bad, Wendy."

"We'll figure out what's going on," Wendy promised fiercely, grabbing his hand and tugging him towards the guildhall. "I _promise_. So let's go check in with the others, make sure Vila-san is okay, and then get to work on watching. If we watch her, maybe we can figure out what's wrong with her. Do you think it's like with Jellal?"

Natsu remembered the now peaceful heavenly body mage, who was fairly mellowed out and calm yet friendly enough. Erza was a mess every time she saw him, but Natsu knew that he loved her and vice versa. But Wendy meant the events that she hadn't been there for; Wendy meant the possession. "Maybe," he grunted. "But wouldn't we be able to tell? Lucy's magic-"

He stopped dead in his tracks again and Wendy glanced at him.

 _Loke._

Usually, the Spirit popped in for a visit once a day. He liked to keep up with his old nakama, making sure that they were all happy and healthy. But he'd not been by in days, as far as Natsu could tell. When was the last time Natsu had seen her summon so much as Plue? He hadn't even seen her _keys_. Usually, he'd come across her polishing them every evening, claiming that they were her friends and deserved as much.

He took off at a jog and Wendy hurried along behind him, her dark eyes concerned. "Natsu?!"

Wendy was right, of course. Something was wrong, really wrong, with his partner.

He barreled inside, hunting for her inside the guildhall upon reaching it, ignoring the greetings and the guilty feeling when he didn't say hello to the burgundy-eyed woman watching him with curiosity beside Rogue and Sting, Frosch held in her arms and Lector on her shoulder. He ignored all of it and let his eyes rest on Lucy, who was chatting with Mira, a smile on her face.

Slowly, he made his way over, panting for breath. Wendy came inside, and a few asked if he was okay, but he pushed past all of it until he reached the celestial mage and demanded, "Luce!"

She glanced up. "Yeah?" she said, looking startled to see him there.

His heart ached. He hated the idea of demanding such things and seeing the careless look in her eyes, but he forced himself to spit out the words. "Lucy, where's Loke? Haven't seen him in a few days and the bastard usually pops up around this time for something to eat and to see how we're doing."

Lucy frowned and shrugged her shoulders. His heart fell at her answer.

"I don't know," she huffed, "I don't dictate when they can and can't come. He can come if he damn well wants to, Natsu, it's none of our business."

She should have been frantic, agreeing with him and rushing to summon her friend to make sure he was okay.

Mira even looked a little concerned as she suggested, "But he's our friend...why don't you summon him here and ask him if he wants to join us or ask why he hasn't been coming? We could-"

"No," Lucy bit out, glaring furiously at both of them. She shoved herself to her feet, her face set in a deep scowl that didn't usually appear on her face unless she'd gotten into a fight with the concerned dragon slayer beside her. "Leave me alone, would you? Jeez. You're being a nuisance today, Natsu."

Hurt filled him as she turned and stormed towards the doors, shoving past Gray when he ducked inside. He blinked in surprise before turning a suspicious look on Natsu - and then frowning at the look of pain on his face. Natsu couldn't help the sound that left the back of his throat as he looked desperately to Wendy, who'd clenched her fingers in her skirt with wide eyes.

Something was definitely wrong with Lucy, he decided, his gaze shifting into one of rage.

And he was going to figure out what.

* * *

 _So I decided that I'm impatient and plan on updating this twice a week now. Enjoy your Tuesdays as well as your Saturdays now!_

 _Thanks to reviewers (OwlChaser113, sassykitten1701, PinkFireandGoldenStars, The 0bservanc3, Sydneste, NaLu and InuKag, and MaybeALittleBroken!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	5. Ticks

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

Rhith had noticed the ticks the second she'd taken a damn good look at the blonde celestial mage known as Lucy Heartfilia. She'd thought it was just coincidence, and had ignored them, though. Instead, she'd focused on other things.

Yet these thoughts couldn't leave her as she tugged a pair of jeans over her hips. Pulling the hem of her blouse down, and making sure her brown boots had been laced properly, Rhith rolled up her old clothes and shoved them into the magically enhanced bag that was soon slung over her shoulder.

Thank the heavens for the Magic Council's willing offering of random supplies. She quite liked her bag.

Rhith paused to adjust her hair, tucking a longer silver strand behind her ear before glaring at herself in the mirror, angry with the three pieces on either side of her head that seemed to wing out and curve into the air. She hated them; no one else had hair like that. Not unless they styled it. Yet hers was natural, and she didn't dare to cut them off.

Her mind drifted elsewhere as she left her hotel room, locking the door behind her. Back to the events of the night before as she made sure she was alone before setting out, hoping to catch a break from the Sabertooth mages.

She remembered Natsu storming in, his eyes flashing with some kind of panic. Wendy had been close behind, biting her lip, watching with intent eyes as he hurried to his partner's side. Rhith had turned to her for some sort of explanation, but before she could ask, Rogue had murmured, _"Perhaps it's something to do with Lucy's behavior?"_

 _"She's acting weird,"_ Sting had agreed, _"Didn't even say hi to us."_

Wendy had remained silent.

Now, Rhith found herself shaking her head. Lucy Heartfilia - or the girl who was thought to be her - was a favorite of the Magic Council despite her relations with the dragon slayer Natsu Dragneel and Fairy Tail. Her magic was very valuable to them, one of the rarest, and the fact that she held almost all of the Zodiac keys made her practically the master of it. She hoped that everything turned out okay for the girl.

Humming, Rhith turned a corner, heading for the guild's building. She'd seen them, she thought carefully. She'd seen the ticks. Those ticks that she knew better than anyone else in the world. She'd speak with the guildmaster Makarov Dreyar before she thought of releasing any information.

Only if she received the okay from him - it was his guild after all, she had no place causing troubles in it - would she drag Natsu aside and speak with him about the matter.

She recognized the ticks.

There were always ticks in things like that. Ticks that were easy to see if you knew what to look for.

And she knew what she was looking for.

Rhith reached Fairy Tail's guildhall easily, relieved that the hotel wasn't too far away. She had enough trouble getting around as it was. She didn't bother to knock as she slid inside, cautious as she checked out who was there. Mirajane Strauss and her two siblings, Lisanna and Elfman, a pair of people who Rhith didn't recognize, and the Titania of Fairy Tail were all there. Everyone else had yet to arrive due to the earliness of the morning and Rhith felt a flash of smug relief; she'd escaped the dragon slayers from Sabertooth. For now.

"Hello," Mira called in greeting, hurrying out from behind the bar to greet her. "Master just got in a few minutes ago, Vila-san, so I'll take you to see him right away if you wish. He's a bit...flustered, though. He's upset about something he won't talk about, so just a warning." She smiled kindly at the other silver-haired woman.

"Oh!" Rhith gave a returning smile. "Don't worry. I can handle it."

"I'm sure," Mira giggled. She led Rhith towards a door at the back and knocked, calling for the master of the guild. A muffled voice told them to enter and Mira didn't hesitate to set foot inside. She smiled at the curious looking old man sitting at a desk inside, announcing, "Master, this is the Councilwoman I told you about. The one that accompanied Sting and Rogue?"

"Ah," Makarov mused before giving Rhith a warm smile. What was it with all of these people? Didn't she make them uncomfortable, too? "I see. Excuse us, then, Mira. Keep an eye out for Natsu, would you? You mentioned that he and the Sabertooth mages wanted to speak to me as well…"

"Of course." She pushed Rhith inside the small office and then closed the door behind her after stepping out.

Rhith hesitated only briefly before hastily saying with flushed cheeks, "I apologize for bothering you. I'm not a member of the Council, I merely work under their orders-"

"I'm aware," Makarov said with an amused laugh. His eyes were gentle, a nice break from all the curious and aggressive looks she'd received over the past few days. And that included whatever looks she was getting from Sting, because she was pretty sure they weren't either of those looks. "Rhith Vila, correct?"

"Yes," she answered, sitting when he waved at a chair. "That would be me. I'm here to investigate an influx of magic, but…" She shrugged her shoulders, shaking her head. "From what I could gather, no one in your guild was able to have sensed it."

"And that, my dear," Makarov said with a heavy sigh, "is where you are wrong." Rhith's burgundy eyes snapped wide at his words in confusion. "The guild could not have sensed it because they were frozen in a spell."

"Excuse me?" Rhith frowned.

"The guild believes I've only been gone a few days," he admitted, leaning back. "In reality...I left the guildhall close to six weeks ago. I tried to return on several occasions, but every attempt was thwarted. There was a shield thrown up. I called in several friends of mine to look into it, but there was nothing that could be done. The shield only fell the day before you arrived."

Rhith leaned forward, all business now. The months of training to be as thorough as possible came through as she questioned briskly, "The shield. What type of magic was it? And how do you know that people were frozen inside of it?"

"I'm not sure. It was powerful, though, not like any magic that Fairy Tail has seen. I doubt even Gildarts could have broken through it without some kind of rebound." Makarov's eyes were thoughtful, his tone dark enough to make Rhith worry.

"I see." She knew of Gildarts Clive, had been lucky enough to see him in passing when he'd stopped in the village near where her home for the last years had been. Rhith narrowed her eyes. "And the frozen part?"

"It had apparently been three days that I'd been gone rather than six weeks," Makarov answered. "Mira welcomed me back."

"Interesting," Rhith hummed, resting her chin on her open palm and her elbow on her knee. she stared thoughtfully into space before cautiously approaching the subject she'd been thinking of all morning. "Dreyar-san...I don't want to sound...whiny or anything about what I'm going to say, but there's something I've noticed that could be dangerous."

Makarov narrowed his eyes. "Have no fears, I doubt you'll upset me. I enjoy your sincerity though."

Rhith locked gazes with him and sighed before announcing, "I think that you're all being fooled. Lucy Heartfilia...she might be an illusion. I know she was real, I watched some of the Grand Magic Games, but this… The one you have here and now in Magnolia...she has ticks that I recognize. These ticks show illusions as they truly are. I don't know who might have cast the spell, but...it might have to do with whoever did the shield."

Makarov looked concerned now, mostly worried for the group he loved and called his children. "Lucy's not herself? I haven't seen her since I came back…"

"Um," Rhith said hesitantly, "Dreyar-san, that isn't Heartfilia-san that everyone else is seeing. Everyone is literally all looking at an illusion. The ticks...when you see her, just watch. She doesn't breathe, her shoulders are jerky when she does. She won't blink for minutes before suddenly having a flurry of them. They must think she is truly Lucy Heartfilia if the illusion is lasting as long as it is."

Makarov gave her a hard look. "And why should we believe the words of someone who has never met her before?"

Understanding his irritation about the matter - she was a stranger that was practically telling him that he was blind for not noticing - Rhith took a deep breath and then said quietly, "Because I know illusion magic when I see it and Natsu Dragneel might have noticed it as well when his partner basically told him to screw off last night."

"I see." The look vanished and Rhith relaxed, her burgundy eyes watching as Makarov pinched the bridge of his nose before murmuring, "I thought that I sensed traces of strange magic, but I put it off as thinking it was perhaps you."

Rhith gave a tight smile and said with a sigh, "Yeah...no. That's not mine. My magic is a lot kinder than whatever this harshness in the air is. And my illusions have a signature that I place on them for allies to notice." She held out a hand, flicking her fingers so that a mouse, solid in color, landed on Makarov's desk. She rested her fingers on its back, showing him what she meant. "This," she explained, pointing out the silver marking on its back, "Is my signature."

"I see," Makarov hummed. He watched intently as Rhith banished the illusion, the silver orbs rising and fading into the air. "And you think that our Lucy is an illusion?"

"Yes," Rhith said firmly. "I don't know where the real one is, but I'd be happy to help you look if you want. If it's alright with you, I'd like to speak with Natsu Dragneel about the matter. If it's anyone believing in the illusion, it's more than likely him. Partners rely heavily on one another and trust. I'd bet everything I own that they - whoever cast the spell - based it completely around his mind."

Makarov stroked his chin in thought. "That would be best. I encourage you to ready yourself for Natsu's...well. His thoughts are for Lucy and his nakama only. He won't appreciate such concern on your behalf. Even if he has noticed that something is off, he'll be defensive. My brats are loyal to a fault. Especially to those on their teams…"

"I'll be wary," Rhith reassured with a gentle smile. "And believe me, I _will_ do my best to help you and your guild fix this mess. I'm taking it personally that an illusion mage is doing such things to someone so highly... _regarded_ by the Magic Council. Besides. I have some investigating to do about all of this so that I can get payed."

Makarov chuckled and shook his head before waving towards the door with a kind look on his face. "Get on with it then, child, before we send you out of town screaming. My brats mean well, but they can be...interesting, I'm sure you understand."

"Oh, I do," Rhith muttered before taking her leave, brushing her legs off as she went. She moved to push the door open only for it to fly open and shock her into tripping. A hand grabbed her before she fell and she stared up in surprise at a narrow-eyed man with blond hair and a scar on the right side of his face. A fur-lined jacket was hung over his shoulders, and there were a trio of people all behind him, watching the interaction with curiosity. "Ah, I apologize," she said hastily, bowing her head in an apologetic way.

His eyes never left her as he demanded, "Oi! Gramps! Who's this?"

"Laxus," Makarov chided warningly, and he released her as quick as lightning - which cackled around his fingertips the second he was no longer touching her. She fought the urge to flinch away. "This is the illusion mage that the Council sent to do some investigating, Rhith Vila. She's here with the Sabertooth mages, and I'm demanding that you be polite throughout the time she spends here - which I'm assuming will be quite a while."

Laxus curled a lip, and Rhith bit back a scowl. He didn't have to be so harsh about any of this… "Excuse me," she muttered, bidding Makarov a final farewell before slipping past the curious trio to study who was in the guildhall now.

A few more had arrived, including Gray and the girl known as Juvia. One look around the guildhall and she sighed, recognizing that Sting and Rogue had arrived as well, with Frosch there at a table eating with care. Not seeing them nearby and supposing they were outside talking with someone, she approached him.

"Morning, Fro-kun," she greeted as she slid into a seat, smiling at him. "What are you doing here all alone?"

Frosch's little head snapped up and he beamed. "Fro wanted to come find you, Rhith-sama, but Fro got lost, so they helped me get here," he explained, pointing to Gray and Juvia.

"You and getting lost," Rhith moaned and reached out to scratch his chin affectionately. She loved the little Exceed, and she was grateful that at least everyone else seemed to realize he needed some pushes in the right direction. "So the others aren't here?"

Frosch shook his head. "Sting is slow at waking," he told her with a grin.

Rhith only giggled and snatched a piece of his food, her formal front gone with the presence of the creature in front of her. She was getting ready to sit back and think when another body slid into the seat beside her. Rhith recognized the red hair immediately and greeted hesitantly, "Scarlet-san, hello."

"Please, just call me Erza," she told her with an equally as warm smile.

"Erza it is then, call me Rhith," Rhith answered firmly. She'd never been personal with people, and this kind of interaction made her nervous. The Twin Dragon Slayers had been the closest she'd come to normal conversations, and even that was iffy. Taking another piece of food from Frosch's plate, she watched as the Exceed scooted over to sit closer to her and share his food willingly. "What can I do for you?"

Erza gave a hesitant smile before asking cautiously, "I heard that you're looking into a suspicious amount of magic that the Council was concerned about?"

"Yes," Rhith said firmly. "I am. But I haven't figured out much about it. There's a few different things that are separate from the influx that I'm checking out as well, but if you know anything…?"

Erza shook her head. "No, I don't. I apologize. I'd be more than willing to assist you if you want, however," the young woman offered. "I can get you access to places that are wary of mages who aren't members of a guild."

"That'd be great," Rhith said eagerly. She'd dealt with people who didn't trust mages who held no guild mark, even when they worked with the Council, and they were quite a pain. They didn't trust her - particularly when there was a guild that protected them around. "Thank you, Erza-san."

"Erza," she corrected.

"Erza," Rhith agreed with a laugh.

Frosch, finishing up the meal by placing a piece of food in Rhith's palm suddenly looked up, eyes glowing excitedly as the doors flew open. "Rogue!" he barely had time to cheer before the shadow mage was there, giving Frosch a gentle but scolding look.

"You should refrain from running off anymore, Frosch," he told him with a sigh.

Frosch didn't look the least bit concerned. "I wanted to find Rhith-sama."

"She was _two doors down_."

"She left." Frosch looked to Rhith for confirmation and the silver-haired woman shrugged; it _was_ technically more than likely true. She had left fairly early in the morning, and if what Frosch said about Sting taking a while to get up was true…

"Where _is_ Sting?" Erza questioned, accepting a piece of strawberry cake from Mirajane as the barmaid whisked by to deliver some food to a few others. "And Lector?"

"Searching for Fro-kun, right?" Rhith snickered, glancing at him with a smirk. She was usually far more shy around people - strangers especially - but the idea of Sting running around pointlessly was a happy one.

He really needed to cut it out with his annoying reactions to just about everything.

"Well, if _you_ want to talk to Master," Erza told Rogue, "Then you are welcome to take Sting's place."

"I think I will," he admitted. "It would be better for the both of us if that idiot doesn't get involved with such matters." He gave Rhith a quick smile that surprised her and murmured, "Excuse me, please keep an eye on Frosch."

"Of course," Rhith replied, yanking the cute Exceed into her arms and hugging him as he giggled. Frosch was _hers_ when he wasn't Rogue's, she decided, stroking his head lovingly. Rogue frowned a little before retreating to knock at the door to Makarov's office. Makarov called for a few more moments, and Rhith blinked a few times when she realized that he was still talking to the blond man who had sort of scared her.

It was during the short amount of time that Rogue took to slip into Makarov's office, inclining his head in greeting to the blond, that Sting and Lector made an appearance. The Exceed and dragon slayer approached the gathered trio almost as soon as they caught sight of them, and Rhith bit back a frustrated scowl when Sting took on a flirty smile and bowed, blue eyes teasing as he greeted, "Hello, Vila-san, fancy seeing you here rather than back at the inn like we agreed."

Rhith grumbled and turned her face away to stroke Frosch's head with a gentle palm. "Yes, well. Wake sooner. And don't be as much of a pest as you're making yourself be and then I'll get back to you on why I chose to leave before you showed up. I've already spoke with Dreyar-san by the way, Eucliffe-san. Rogue-san has slipped in to do so on your behalf."

Sting huffed. "Everyone's doing things without me today, aren't they?"

Erza watched the pair curiously, taking in the way that Sting's entire body seemed to radiate excited energy as he spoke to the illusion mage, the way that he was angled so that he stood between she and the doors of the guildhall without seeming to notice.

In fact, he didn't seem to notice much of anything as he teased, "Then again, you're awaiting my presence out here…"

"I'm waiting for Rogue-san to come out and I was speaking with Erza," Rhith said bluntly, glaring at him. She sniffed and turned to playfully scratch Lector's chin. "Erza's going to take me around to some rather unfriendly places to investigate the magic influx from weeks back."

Before Sting could even think about asking the question Erza was expecting, the requip mage glared at him, looking him dead in the eye. "No."

"Come on," he huffed. "I want to go, too."

"No," Erza repeated. "Besides, you have a job of your own to do. You will do it while we assist Rhith here in her own work and then perhaps when you're done you can assist us. Until then, you're getting payed by someone who specifically requested your help and who you agreed to assist. Go do your work, Sting."

Sting glared at the woman known as Titania, but then stopped and glanced over his shoulder when the doors flew open and a tired looking Natsu stormed in. His onyx eyes were thoughtful, something that earned a frightful look from more than one person, and he was surprisingly alone as he meandered over to the bar to simply sit there. He didn't order any food, and he received strange looks from everyone for not doing so, asking only if Makarov was available and frowning when Mira reported that he wasn't.

Rhith climbed to her feet after giving Lector a final pet on the head. "Excuse me for a moment," she sighed, "I need to have a word in private with Natsu - that means you get to stay here, Eucliffe-san," she said warningly when the white dragon slayer eagerly moved after her. His face shifted into a pout and she seemed to be thoughtful as she headed over to his rival.

Erza only smiled secretly as she watched the interactions. "You're fond of Rhith," she stated.

"Not fond," Sting protested with a sigh.

Not _fond_.

More like obsessed.

* * *

Rhith approached Natsu with care and caution, knowing that the dragon slayer wasn't going to appreciate what she planned on speaking to him about yet determined to get the words out. "Natsu?" she called to get his attention.

His head snapped around. His eyes had shadows under them, his pink bangs hanging in his eyes. But he still grinned hugely when he saw her, straightening as he greeted her. "Hi."

She smiled gently. "Hello. I know you want a word with Dreyar-san, but can I borrow you for a bit? I'd like to speak with you about something that I've come to notice and I don't think it's something that needs to be said in public until you've heard it."

"...sure," he agreed with reluctance, glancing towards Makarov's office door before hopping to his feet. "But can you make it fast? Gotta talk to Gramps."

"I'll try, but I don't know if you'll want to talk with Dreyar-san after this," Rhith murmured back. She waved for him to follow her, and he trailed after her as she guided him towards the guildhall doors and outside. She led him away from the guildhall for a few blocks before turning to face him, demanding, "Please tell me that that moron of a dragon slayer known as Sting Eucliffe did not follow. Because I need to know."

Natsu's lips twitched into a smirk. "Nah. You're good. He stayed like you wanted." He cackled after a moment. "What is he, a dog?"

"I think so," she sighed before becoming serious and taking a deep breath.

As Makarov had said, Natsu was very protective of his nakama, particularly Lucy.

She hoped that he didn't hate her too much for what she was going to say.

Natsu watched her expectantly with sharp onyx eyes as she began.

"There are ticks," she explained quietly, "That allow you to determine if something or someone is an illusion. Exaggerated breathing and blinking, normal human functions acting up, changes of attitude, etc. I suppose for you that you'd be able to even smell the difference. Particularly if you're close to the crafted illusion." Natsu became wary as she studied his expression, her petite size making her look up at him.

"And you're telling me this because…?"

"I'm getting to that," she sighed, holding up a hand. "Illusions are held alive by those who believe them to be real. An illusion's strength - particularly the sort that I create - depend on if you think it's real." Natsu crossed his arms tightly and gave an uncertain growl, and Rhith nodded to herself. He was uncomfortable, his eyes darting this way and that. A sign that who ever cast the spell was careful in making sure to avoid the truth coming out.

So she spoke bluntly now.

"Lucy Heartfilia - the one that you've been seeing for the past few days - is nothing more than an illusion that some created to distract you from the fact that the real one has disappeared into some unknown place." Rhith raised her chin proudly as she spoke, keeping her voice firm to avoid showing that even she wasn't sure.

Natsu stared at her. His expression was blank, carefully so, to hide the shock and the pain that more than likely filled his body, soul, and mind, and he didn't show any emotion as he looked away, over her head, his hand reaching up to tug his scarf away from his mouth.

Finally, after a heart beat of awkward silence, he spoke.

"I know."

His voice cracked, filling with heartbreak of pain and unshed tears rose to his eyes. His entire body seemed to break down into despair as he continued, his voice raw with pain.

"I...I noticed when I woke up the other day. She was...something smelled funny, but I ignored it, ya know? She was acting a bit crankier than normal, but she was still Luce. And then Wendy started mentioning that the air was funny around her in particular, and she was being so _angry_ with me, and hateful, and she's _Luce_ , so I knew it wasn't right-" He cut off, pressing a hand to his forehead with a look of desperation. "What do I _do_?"

Rhith felt a flash of sympathy for him. This was his partner that they were discussing. And quite possibly, she meant much more to him than just that by the sound of his voice and pain. So, she reached out to gently touch his arm and give him a look of determination.

"What you do is you find that illusion, stop believing that it's the real thing, and then come find me so that we can find just where the real Lucy is. Because I can promise you, Natsu, she's waiting on her dragon to come and find her."

* * *

 _So big things are starting to happen, eh? Rhith revealed her thoughts on "Lucy", Natsu's being a poor creature who needs a hug, etc._

 _To The 0bservanc3, who asked a few questions...the only one I'm going to answer due to revealing too much otherwise would be on whether Gajeel and Levy are together. No, they are not. XD They're still dancing around in NAIS._

 _Thanks to reviewers (sassykitten1701, Kauia, The 0bservanc3, LePengwen, summercharizard, MaybeALittleBroken, NaLu and InuKag, and PinkFireandGoldenStars!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	6. Desires of the Heart

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

Natsu was a mess emotionally as they made their way back to the guildhall. Rhith kept a gentle hand on his arm to guide him through the crowds of Magnolia's residents as she led him back, as he was too busy struggling to come up with a way to figure out where his partner really was.

"We'll have to wait for the illusion to show up," Rhith was telling him quietly in her kind voice. She was surprisingly gentle towards him, he realized, compared to the snippy attitude she had towards the other dragon slayers - excluding Wendy. Particularly Sting; not that he blamed her. Sting was being rather pushy about everything. But that was just Sting's attitude. "And then we strike."

"I don't even know what to do," he mumbled, swiping at his eyes. He was ashamed of himself. Rhith didn't need to see him cry, something that he hadn't done in forever. But it was _Lucy_. She was gone, truly gone, and he didn't even know where to begin looking.

At least she was an illusion mage.

"What we need is some sort of magic to entrap the illusion," Rhith explained, "If we can get the illusion trapped, I can trace the spell back to its origin. It'll give some sort of signature and we'll be able to figure out who placed the spell. I'm assuming it'll be the reason behind your Lucy's disappearance."

 _Your Lucy,_ she had said.

He liked that a lot.

But his Lucy was nowhere to be found for the time being.

So, he took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He had to deal with the illusion with Rhith, and then he had to focus on Lucy. Lucy was hopefully okay and would continue to be so until they had the situation dealt with; she was strong, a powerful mage.

A thought suddenly struck him.

"Her keys," he rasped. "They're the real thing. I felt the magic in them when I grabbed them for her last night."

"We'll make sure to take those from her," Rhith promised. She knew the importance of a celestial mage's keys. "I may call on Sabertooth's celestial mage to join in and assist us. She'll be able to care for those keys until we can find Lucy again…" A frown appeared on her face. "And she'll be the one who can tell us if she's alive or not."

"Loke comes out sometimes," Natsu mumbled, "Maybe he'd come if we asked him to? Leo," he explained when she looked at him in confusion. "The Lion Spirit. He goes by Loke. He can come into our world on his own power. He'll be able to tell us, too."

"That's good to know, he may know what happened to her in full," Rhith murmured and then slid into the guildhall that belonged to Fairy Tail with a look of determination. She paused to tell him, "Act normal," before hurrying over to where she saw the Sabertooth mages.

She caught their attention the second she called for them. Rogue took his time, Natsu noticed with curious eyes, turning to face her with a frown, but Sting's attention was focused completely on her the second he heard her voice. His blue eyes locked on her face, burning with eagerness to hear what she had to say. Frosch and Lector called their greetings, and she beckoned them to her.

" _I'm going to tell the mages of Sabertooth, they'll be able to help us lure in the illusion,"_ she'd said confidently on their way back. _"While Eucliffe-san is an idiot, he'll be able to help us. As will Rogue-san."_

Natsu had agreed with her. As he made his way back to the bar, he caught sight of Makarov watching him with an intense gaze, questioning him silently. Natsu inclined his head after a moment, nodding slightly to show that he understood what Makarov was asking and confirmed it.

The master of Fairy Tail's eyes darkened before turning elsewhere, a look of understanding now resting on his down-turned lips.

As he seated himself at the bar, waving for Mira to get him something to eat after she'd asked with a look of concern, he found himself listening to Rhith's gentle lilting voice, easily hearing it even from feet away. There was a hint of an accent he didn't recognize, and she spoke softly, even with the irritated tone she was taking on when Sting said something she didn't appreciate.

It relaxed him, and the exhausted dragon slayer found himself dozing until Mira came back and gently set a plate in front of him, touching his arm to gain his attention. "Natsu? Is everything alright?"

He gave it a moment to think his answer over, shoving a piece of food into his mouth. He chewed, thinking, swallowed, and then finally mumbled, "I don't know." It was the truth, he realized. Depending on what happened when the illusion finally showed up...everything could be _not_ alright. "Wendy and Gajeel here yet?"

As if knowing that he was looking for other dragon slayers specifically, she shook her head. "Wendy's should be here soon, but Gajeel apparently disappeared off to who knows where last night. Lily and Levy are out looking for him. Laxus is here if you want."

He shook his head. "Nah. I'll wait for Wendy." He wrinkled his nose. She'd help them anyways. She'd be able to help them find the illusion before it even approached the guildhall. They'd decided that it would be best for it to be caught inside, so that the rest of the guild could witness what happened and help them as well.

But Rhith had told him that no one was to know before hand. Just he, the Sabertooth members, and herself as well as Wendy.

"Lucy should be coming soon, maybe with Happy, hm?" Mira said with a smile. "I'm sure that you'll be cheered up by that. Maybe the two of you can take a job?"

"Maybe," he muttered, not believing that thought for a second.

He understood now, why Lucy had been so against taking work with him and Happy. And he wouldn't let this illusion get away with it.

It seemed like forever before Wendy warily entered the guildhall, and he didn't hesitate to lunge for her the second she was close enough. Wendy screeched in surprise as he playfully ruffled her blue hair, and he smirked as others rolled their eyes and looked away before using it to his advantage, whispering, "Go along with it when it begins, kay?"

"With _what_ , Natsu?" Wendy demanded as Charle gave him a piercing glare.

His onyx eyes darted to Rhith, who was glancing back at them curiously. "You were right last night," was all he said before returning to his seat to finish his food. Wendy's eyes were wide with horror at this, and a few gave her questioning looks. Charle demanded answers but she was quick to smooth her expression out.

"It's nothing, Charle," Wendy reassured as she hurried over to where Romeo was waving to catch her attention, a hopeful look on his young face. Natsu snickered, knowing fully well that Romeo longed to date the younger dragon slayer.

Maybe after all of this was over, he'd help him out. Not that he had any experience himself. He was actually quite helpless when it came to dating. He'd send him to Mira. That would get him the help he needed, or even his Lucy when she came back.

A scent filled his nose after what seemed like endless waiting and the second that it did, Natsu was back on his feet again, earning an irritated look from where Levy was trying to read a book at the bar. He ignored her annoyance and instead barked out, "Wendy."

The girl abandoned her other friends immediately to come and stand by his side, and Sting and Rogue exchanged a few words before climbing to their feet. Sting offered a hand to Rhith, who rolled her eyes and accepted the offer, his fingers curling around hers as he helped her to her feet. He released her and took on an almost defensive look. For once, Rhith let him slide in front of her, her burgundy eyes focused on other things as she mouthed words he couldn't hear.

"Natsu," Cana called from the other side of the bar, but it was Makarov who put a stop to anyone saying anything as he ordered, "Silence, Cana."

She looked slightly offended. Makarov wasn't one for sharply said commands like that. Usually he requested that they quiet down and then they'd willingly comply. This was a new event, and everyone fell silent, watching what was happening with confusion.

And then Lucy stepped into the guildhall, chatting lightly with Happy. Natsu watched with a flash of pain racing through his heart, his hand clenching into a fist. It was so much like her...he almost didn't want to believe that it _wasn't_ her. She was _Lucy_ , damn it, his partner and best friend!

But he could see the ticks that Rhith had mentioned. She stared emotionlessly at Happy for a while before suddenly blinking a few times, and her breath and actions was jerky as she looked over to call a greeting to a few of their nakama.

It was even more so when she noticed Rogue slide between she and the exit.

"What's going on?" she demanded, and Happy glanced anxiously to Natsu only to discover his friend glaring at Lucy with a strange look on his face. "Natsu?" Her voice grew high-pitched with a slight hint of nervousness that twisted his heart painfully.

"Don't," he managed to get out. "Don't you dare say my name like that. Not with her voice." His body trembled with the need to protect his partner, but at the same time, he forced himself to recognize the fact that Rhith had forcefully told him. "Happy, come here."

 _Lucy isn't here._

"Natsu…" Wendy said softly. Happy flew over with a confused look, and she was soon gently touching his arm before making a face. "The air-"

"We've got it handled, Wendy-chan," Sting called with a wink. "We've figured it out. Or at least the lovely Rhith-sama has."

"Now is not the time for flirting, Eucliffe-san," Rhith gritted out with a roll of her eyes. She pointed at Lucy with a firm look on her face and then slashed her hand through the air in a way that was similar to the way Levy used her magic. She said nothing until Lucy gave a confused screech as she pressed her hands up against an invisible wall.

"Hey!" Cana shouted angrily. Mira looked horrified by what was happening. "What the hell are you guys doing?!"

"Cana!" Makarov said with a glare. "Silence!"

She waved an arm with a furious look towards the now trapped celestial mage. "Not until you tell us what the hell is going on! This is _Lucy_ -"

"No," Rhith said clearly, tone icy. "She's not. This is an illusion, sent to trick you while the real Lucy Heartfilia is gone." Silence filled the guildhall, and there was an explosion of commotion a split second later until Makarov bellowed for everyone to shut up and let those currently dealing with the situation do their job.

Lucy's fingers pulled away from the invisible wall, her lips curving into a smile. She looked calm now, and she propped a hand on a hip as she spoke, her voice higher-pitched and like a loud whisper. "And you've found me out...this would not have happened if you'd agreed to the task we assigned you, Natsu Dragneel."

All eyes snapped to the equally as surprised dragon slayer, who narrowed his piercing onyx eyes and growled with a rumble in his throat. "What do you mean?"

"They're speaking through the illusion," Rhith murmured, something he barely caught due to the quietness of which she spoke. The white dragon slayer beside her glanced over at her, blue eyes confused, and she explained in a hushed voice, aware that the other dragon slayers were listening. "If a mage is strong enough, their illusions can be used as a messenger of sorts. They speak _through_ the illusion, as if they've possessed someone."

The illusion gave a cruel and high-pitched laugh that hurt everyone's ears. "You think you're so smart when it comes to this magic, don't you, _Rhith-chan_? To think such a person as yourself can even wield the magic we so reluctantly allowed you to keep...have you ever had the magic torn from you? It hurts. Horribly."

Rhith gave a shiver of some sort, and Rogue gave a growl as he hissed, "Silence. Where is Lucy Heartfilia?"

Rather than answering, it danced around the question with a piercing giggle. "We know your heart's deepest desires, Rogue Cheney. In fact, we know _everyone's_."

In a flash, Wendy was on the ground. A startled and agonized scream left her lips, the tears boiling over immediately as she wailed. Rogue and Sting's eyes flashed wide with shock, and Natsu staggered as a familiar roar filled his ears, calling his name in a scolding tone. _"Natsu!"_

"Igneel?" he whispered aloud, his heart soaring.

The illusion cackled, and then shrieked in surprise when a hand reached through the invisible wall to haul it forward by the throat. It choked, and it was - to Natsu's shock - Gajeel who held it there with a fierce snarl on his face. There was a deadly look in his eyes, and Natsu had the feeling that he was hearing his own dragon's cries.

"You trying to piss us off?" he seethed, ignoring Happy's panicked protest. Natsu gasped in pain when the roars vanished from his mind, leaving all of them shocked. Wendy continued to sob on the ground as Charle tried to console her, and Natsu used the chance to look around and check on the rest of the guild.

They'd all been affected as well, he realized. A few of them were furious, nearly as angry as Gajeel - particularly a pissed off Laxus. Mirajane had a flushed look on her face, her blue eyes darting to the lightning mage every now and then, and Cana - he guessed she'd been shown beer or something - looked disappointed. Even Makarov wore an expression that the fire mage couldn't place.

The illusion only laughed, its form wavering beneath Gajeel's rough grasp. Suddenly, Gajeel held Levy by the throat. He jerked away, releasing it almost immediately, and the illusion continued to cackle excitedly. "We know your heart's deepest desires, Gajeel Redfox, do not forget that."

Rather than teasing the iron dragon slayer, Natsu snarled, "The hell's wrong with you, using a girl to hide behind? Where the hell is Lucy?"

"You wouldn't be demanding answers if you'd gone along with us," the illusion sang, its lips curving upwards. "This is your fault, Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail. You rejected our offer."

"How can you blame someone for something they don't even remember?" Sting demanded angrily, his blue eyes sparking with fury. "Stop dancing around and answer the fucking question; we don't give a damn about who you are."

The illusion cast Sting a cold look that transferred to Rhith. It slipped into a form that no one recognized, though Rhith's eyes tightened with fear as it stepped past the wall she'd created. "We are the creators of illusion magic, of white magic, of light magic. We are the ones who worked alongside dragons for thousands of years, and we are the ones who make no mistakes. We are the ones who will decide the fate of Lucy Heartfilia should you not agree to our request."

"And your request?" said Makarov with a wary tone. Natsu's onyx eyes darted to the old man before a snarl built in his throat.

The illusion had vanished before reappearing beside Rhith. Sting whirled on his heel with a look of pure unadulterated rage, but there was a shield to stop him from lunging, and Rogue outright growled as he darted to his partner's side. Wendy, who'd shoved herself weakly to her feet, gave a shrill trilling sound that hurt his ears, but he pretended not to notice.

"The deal was made; you hold no memories of our request," the illusion purred as it snatched Rhith's chin up in its grip. Frosch gave a frantic cry, worried for their new friend, and then whimpered when it turned its piercing eyes on him. Lector bravely stepped protectively in front of the other Exceed. Rogue scowled viciously.

"You hold no memories of our request," it repeated, suddenly digging its nails in. Rhith only glared, unafraid, and ignored the blood that was drawn. "And you hold no memories of where your friend is. And you won't know of the second loss until you have completed your task. We will not tell you again, Natsu Dragneel. You will not see Lucy Heartfilia again."

"Not until the precious _Rhith-chan_ is dead."

* * *

 _"You have fourteen days before we kill Lucy Heartfilia and we come ourselves to deal with the problem." Its head snapped in Natsu's direction with an icy smile. "Not even the son of the Fire Dragon King will stop us."_

Natsu's head was reeling, his heart still pounding in his chest as he watched Sting furiously demand that an equally as irritated Rhith let him see the blood that still dripped from the deep wounds in her chin. She finally gave in, but only at the pleading of Frosch, who was still panicking over what had happened despite Rogue's attempts at comfort.

He watched as Sting's fingers gently gripped her flesh, moving her head so that he could see the injuries better. She grumbled about it, but Natsu could tell that she was just a little touched by the fact that he seemed to care enough to try and make sure she got the wounds looked at. The illusion had been rather cruel towards her before a combination of dragon slaying magic had torn it apart.

"Natsu?"

Asuka's shaking voice caught his attention and his head snapped around to look at the quivering girl. She clung to Bisca's leg, and her mother paused in worrying with Alzack to listen. Mira leaned over the bar with a tired look to listen, too.

"Yeah?" he whispered, his voice choked by the despair he felt.

 _Lucy._

She was in so much danger…

And he'd been scared to get rid of the stupid illusion.

"Are you gonna find Lucy?"

Everything clicked.

Confused thoughts solidified into rageful need for vengeance and his terror at the loss of Lucy became replaced by a deadly calmness that washed across him. His own trembling stopped and when he spoke, his voice was thick with a darkness that scared even him.

"Damn right I'm going to find Lucy." A snarl appeared on his lips.

They'd taken Lucy from him, replaced her with a fake, and then had decided that they wanted his newfound friend _dead_. Rhith hadn't done anything as far as they'd seen, hadn't even recognized the illusion's signature of holy light.

They'd threatened both.

"And then I'm going to tear that bastard apart, piece by little piece and shove the pieces up his-"

" _Children's ears,_ Natsu," Mira stated coldly though her gaze showed that she agreed.

Soon enough, other shouts rang through the guild. People were bellowing their agreement, demanding that they begin the search for Lucy right _now_ , damn it, what were they waiting for?

Makarov answered that question. "Shut up!" he bellowed. All attention was turned on him. He, too, was brimming with rage as he stood on the bar, but he kept it together as he began to speak.

"One of our own was taken right out from under our noses," he gritted out, "Someone has infiltrated our guild and distracted us all from the true problem. They have messed with our family, and the situation _will_ be dealt with immediately. Starting now, Mira will be assigning you all to different pieces of research. We need to find out who or what these mages are, and where they will be keeping Lucy."

Cheers went up as the guild cried its agreement, but Rogue spoke suddenly, his voice low and calm. "Sabertooth will assist you." Sting growled his agreement, not looking away from Rhith for even a second as he finished inspecting just how deep the injuries were. Frosch and Lector cheered.

"As will I, even if I have to get rid of my contract with the Council," Rhith said firmly. She swatted Sting's hands away finally and turned her gaze on the guildmaster of Fairy Tail. Her eyes were cold, the burgundy color dangerous. "I'd like to know why they'd turn to threatening people if they clearly want me dead."

"Don't know what we're doing just runnin' around looking," Gajeel grumbled suddenly. He curled a lip, glaring at her with a nasty look in his red eyes. "Just kill her and be done with it. Blondie gets to come back, they leave us alone."

" _Gajeel Redfox_ ," a new voice suddenly hissed. Levy had come out of the archives to hear what all of the commotion was about, and her dark eyes were full of horrified anger. Gajeel winced under the look she gave him.

A growl rumbled out of Natsu's throat at the thought. How _dare_ Gajeel even think of such a thing-

His anger was nothing compared to the rage that suddenly flashed across Sting's face. There was a blur of motion and a loud crash as he lunged for the iron dragon slayer and Rogue grabbed him, hurling him to the ground before he could do anything, sending Rhith squeaking away with the Exceeds in her arms and a table tipping over.

Asuka burst into tears.

Only then did Gajeel look a little bit guilty about the situation.

Glaring slightly, Alzack said firmly, "We aren't killing anyone."

"You should be ashamed of yourself for even considering such an idea," Makarov scolded, annoyed with Gajeel's view on the subject. "Sting, when you've gotten a hold of yourself, I'd like you to come with me, please."

Sting shoved Rogue away from him, snarling, "Whatever," and Rogue gave him a look that promised further violence should he try anything.

Rhith cleared her throat softly as she turned her attention onto the shaking Frosch, who told her, "Don't worry, Rhith-sama, we'll protect you."

"Yeah," Lector agreed with a huge grin.

Natsu's lips twitched faintly at the sight. At least she had some sort of defense against Gajeel's words. Glaring angrily at Gajeel for a moment, Natsu turned his attention onto a contemplative Wendy. The sky dragon slayer had stopped crying, though her eyes were red and puffy and her nose running. Charle was comforting her from her place in Wendy's arms. "Wendy?"

Wendy jumped. "Sorry!" she gasped. "I was just...that last bit that the illusion said, the part about the son of the Fire Dragon King...didn't you notice? It spoke in garbled Draconis. It was like a different dialect, but I understood it."

Natsu went still, thinking back, and then gawked. "It _did_. What the hell, man!" He threw his hands into the air, his heart thudding wildly in his chest as he went over this. Not only did it know a variation of Draconis, but-

"That wasn't Draconis," Rhith said, looking straight at them yet looking like she was far away from the conversation. She'd moved over with care, arms still cuddling the Exceeds and Rogue close beside her as Sting left to speak with Makarov. "You weren't hearing Draconis, the language of the dragons, Wendy-chan, Natsu. You were hearing Neráidan."

Rogue glanced at her. "That is the Neráidan language?"

"Yes. That was Neráidan. Which makes me wonder...Levy-san!" Natsu watched intently as the wide-eyed solid-script mage came rushing over, her blue hair wild. He guessed that she'd been "chatting" with Gajeel.

"Yes?" she questioned, sighing heavily before adding, "I'm sorry, Rhith, he wasn't thinking-"

"It's not that," she said firmly, cutting Levy off. "I was just thinking, that's all…. I need that book of yours. The illusion mentioned that whoever was talking through it worked alongside dragons. The fact that it spoke Neráidan, too, makes me think that we'll find what it is in that book. Do you mind if I borrow it after I've written a letter to the Council?"

"N-no, I'll go get it." Levy smiled faintly and then left to do just that.

Natsu watched Rhith with care, and she met his gaze. "Don't worry Natsu," she soothed, "We'll find Lucy-san before anything happens to her, right, Lector-kun and Fro-kun?"

"Right!" they cheered, and Happy purred his agreement, though it was a somewhat scared sound.

Natsu just hoped that they were right.

* * *

 _Crazy things are taking off, are they not?_

 _To answer a few more questions asked by the 0bservanc3... Each of the dragon slayers have a different reaction to Rhith. There is no stated reason as to why. Sting and Rogue don't have the same reaction to Rhith; Rogue holds no...intentions towards Rhith, merely wishes to see that she's safe. Sting wants other things, if you get my meaning. The rest will be answered with time. ;)_

 _Thanks to reviewers (LePengwen, Kauia, The 0berservanc3, PinkFireandGoldenStars, MaybeALittleBroken, misssbehavin, brooke315, sassykitten1701, NaLu and InuKag, summercharizard, and Xiaconis!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	7. The Unbelievable

. Not As It Seems .

* * *

 _"...dragons ended the war with the Spirits of the Celestial Realm, they accepted the punishment that the Spirit King had inflicted upon them. They would not be allowed hatchlings for close to a century, and when they did have hatchlings afterwards, they had to announce it to the Spirit King or the leader of the Zodiac, a strong Spirit by the name of Leo…"_

Rhith sat back, rubbing her temples as she looked around her. She sat in Fairy Tail's archives with a snoozing Frosch and Lector, who were curled up in her lap as she read the ancient book that Levy had lent her. She read the book with ease, murmuring translations under her breath.

Makarov had offered to send her letter about what was happening and what she was doing to the Council, a comforting thought. At least she wouldn't be sealing her own doom completely by herself. If they even survived all of this, she doubted she'd still be with them. She supposed she'd have no choice but to get a normal job or continue helping people by joining a guild.

"Got anything?"

Burgundy eyes darked into a look of irritation as she glanced up to see Sting smirking down at her. His entire body was leaned against the table, his blue eyes studying her and the book she was reading with an emotion the young woman couldn't place.

"No." Rhith sighed, deciding that she had to be civil so long as he didn't try anything again. She tilted her head, turning her gaze back on the book. "I'm reading the whole book, though, so it might take a day or two. As soon as we know what we're dealing with, I can calculate everything we need to do to succeed and where Lucy is. Is Natsu doing okay?"

He snorted. "Sucker's gotten himself as drunk as the crazy drinking lady, so no. Not really." He straightened, rolling his shoulders before peering over her shoulder at the book. She ignored his warm presence in favor of flipping the page and scanning it as quickly as she could.

"Anyways," she said with a sigh, "All I've gotten so far is that there was a war between the dragons and the Spirits of the Celestial World. They ended it and dragons were the losers. I'd like to speak with this Leo about it all, but Natsu mentioned that he's a Spirit under Lucy's command, and we can't exactly summon him. But there's the hope that he'll show up on his own, so we just have to wait."

"Rogue talked to Yukino and she said that there are special occasions that a celestial mage may open the gates of a Spirit not contracted to it. It depends on how the Spirit feels about the matter," Sting offered. "We can have her come here and summon Leo if he's up to it."

"That'll take too long, we don't have the kind of time for people to come to Magnolia and help right now." Rhith tapped her lower lip with a scowl that disappeared as soon as he straightened, tiredly running a hand through his blond hair. He turned his gaze on the door, and Rhith watched him. "What's wrong?"

She thought his nose twitched.

"Someone's here," he mumbled, "But it's a weird scent, one that I can't figure out…"

"Well, let's go see. I need to see if Leo's shown up for Natsu yet." Rhith pushed away from the table after putting the book down, affectionately touching Frosch and Lector's heads after putting them on the table before standing and scurrying over to the door before Sting, who'd turned his eyes eagerly on her, could try anything. The Exceeds would be safe within the archives until she returned to read with them.

Sting wasn't far behind her as she left the archives in favor of searching for the newcomer Sting had mentioned. Rogue was standing near Natsu - he'd offered to keep an eye on the fire mage for the time being - and Rhith was startled to discover the fire mage beside someone she hadn't seen before, someone whose shaded eyes held a rather large amount of concern at the realization that Natsu was drunk.

"Rhith," greeted Levy, catching most of the guild's attention. "Did you find anything useful?"

Rhith flushed as eyes turned on her and she thought a low growl rumbled in Sting's chest for a moment. "Not yet. Just that the dragons were in a war with the Spirits of the Celestial Realm for a few centuries."

The man that had appeared - Sting had relaxed now, recognizing him - gave a wry smile. "The Draconic Spirits War. I remember that. I fought against the parents of most of the dragons that raised the dragon slayers. It was hard; they almost won, but we pulled through in the end thanks to one of Lucy's ancestors coming to us with news of a troublesome dragon slayer, who later became Acnologia."

 _Leo._ The name touched her mind immediately. This was the Spirit Leo, the one she'd wanted to talk to. She beamed, smiling in greeting as she greeted, "Hello, I'm Rhith Vila."

"Believe me," Leo - Loke, she told herself - said with a grin, "I know exactly who _you_ are. How could I not, with beauty such as yours?" He bowed in a playful motion.

Sting sent him a death glare that threatened a slow and painful death should he even so much as touch Rhith. Luckily, Loke's playful demeanor vanished as he straightened, focused on the matter at hand. "We knew that something was wrong, but that thing had just enough of a connection with Lucy that it could block our gates."

Natsu scowled angrily, hands tightening on the keys that he'd retrieved. "Bastards. Gotta find 'em."

" _You_ ," Erza growled as she turned on the dragon slayer, "Have to go home. You're drunk and will be about as much help as Asuka in planning." Bisca frowned at the use of her daughter's name, but nodded her agreement alongside a few others. Levy looked ready to moan in frustration when he gave a stubborn scowl.

"I'm drunk, not stupid," he muttered perfectly without slurring. "Besides. Not like we have a low tolerance. I'm helping."

"He'll be fine, Erza," Loke reassured. "Believe me, he's been far more drunk and perfectly able to function."

Rhith rolled her eyes at their conversations before turning to Loke with a look of intent. "Loke-san," she addressed him, arching an eyebrow when a warm and calloused hand landed upon her shoulder. _The hell does Sting think he's doing?_ she growled silently before continuing to speak anyways. "Do you know what cast the spell to create the illusion? They mentioned that they worked alongside the dragons, so I'm assuming you might have fought against them in the war."

Loke wrinkled his nose in thought before shaking his head. "No. There were so many other creatures in that war, all slaughtering one another...I doubt I could pick out any specific magic for you. I'm sorry."

"Not even illusion magic?" Rhith frowned. The magic was rare, nearly as rare as dragon slaying magic, and was easily recognizable when someone knew how to use it.

Loke shook his head. "There were a few species that knew how to use it back then. Even a few Spirits can use it themselves."

"I see," Rhith sighed with a shake of her head before turning away, moving to make her way back towards the archives. Sting moved with her and from where he was, Rogue snorted. "Never mind then, thank you for the help you could offer, Loke-san."

Loke gave a sad smile, as if disappointed that he couldn't help her in any other way before he suddenly narrowed his eyes and said quietly, "I can't sense Lucy at all…" She paused to look back, curious as he explained to them all, "Spirits can sense things about the mages they hold a contract with. Usually, I could feel what Lucy was feeling, but…" He shook his head, turning to Natsu with a grim look. "This isn't good, there's a damn good possibility that Lucy's in another world or dead."

Natsu's lips pulled back into a snarl that had Rhith cringing in sympathy when Loke flinched. The dragon slayer looked furious at the mere prospect of Lucy being dead. "No. She's not. I'd know if Luce was hurt, let alone dead, and she's neither."

Rhith sighed as she touched the healing injuries on her chin, her lips pressed together. "Too bad we don't have any dragons with us," she told Sting, for once not bothered by his proximity. In the two seconds that it had taken for her to get distracted, she'd forgotten that she disliked him. Her burgundy eyes searched the air thoughtfully.

"In any case...call me if you find anything," Loke told Natsu with a faint smile. "The entirety of my world is on your side if you need our help." That said, he disappeared with a flash of light that temporarily blinded the illusion mage.

He snorted. "Believe me," he grunted, "If we knew where the dragons were...we'd have gone to 'em by now." Sting folded his arms across his chest. His blond hair stuck up all over the place after running a hand through it, and Rhith's lips threatened to curve into a smirk at the sight.

For as much as he pissed her off, she'd be the first to admit that Sting had looks going for him. Not much else though, if she was being perfectly honest. Those brains of his could use some work. So she rolled her eyes and waved for him to follow her, ignoring the huge grin that flashed across his head.

"Come on," she grumbled as she headed back into the archives, determined to finish reading the book and see if she could figure out more. "If you're going to be a nuisance, you might as well do it where I can see you…"

* * *

Rhith would forever be grateful towards Makarov for allowing her to have free access to whatever books she wanted in the archives, alongside a few mages from another guild, because had it not been for that, she was damn sure she wouldn't have ever come across the necessary information.

She'd been bent over a second book that she'd pulled out, a possible clue in the first few pages, alongside Rogue, who'd come into join them and offer his help. His red eyes scanned the paper alongside her, and every now and then he'd look up to check on Frosch, who was playing a card game with Sting and Lector.

It was after who knows how many rounds when Sting suddenly demanded, "The hell, Lector? You can't be winning like this all the time!"

Rhith's lips twitched as Rogue frowned in confusion at them. Frosch was giggling hysterically alongside the other Exceed, who crowed, "That's eight times! You owe me eight meals, Sting-kun! Again?"

"Hell no, I can't afford that." He looked horrified and when Rhith made a small sound under her breath, trying to stifle laughter, Rogue's attention focused on her before his gaze became one of amusement.

So Rhith was the one causing issues. And because they were all too focused on the game, none of them were noticing. _Idiots._

"C'mon," Lector coaxed, "This time it'll be so I can trade off a meal to Frosch."

Sting grunted, eyeing his friend suspiciously before finally agreeing with reluctance. "Fine."

Rhith's lips twitched again as she prepared her magic, simply pretending that she was merely studying the book.

This continued on for a while until a grumbling Natsu suddenly stumbled into the archives. They all paused in what they were doing, and Rhith straightened, greeting him. "Hi, Natsu," she mused, "Here for an update?"

He scrubbed a hand down his face, and Rhith decided that he looked like a general mess at the moment, with shadows under his eyes. He'd been drunk for the majority of the previous night and was suffering for it now. Onyx eyes landed on the books, and Rhith cleared her throat as she answered his question. "Nothing really. Not so far. We're working...or at least some of us are."

"Can I help?" the dragon slayer mumbled, "I need something to focus on until we find her."

He was very careful not to say her name, and Rhith smiled with a gentle look as she waved him forward. "Sure. Come on. Eucliffe-san, could you come over here, too? Let Fro-kun and Lector-kun deal with the cards. Moron," she added under her breath so only Natsu, who hurried over, and Rogue could hear her. "Learn to recognize freaking illusion magic."

She dropped her spell and Lector cried, "Hey! Rhith-sama!"

She only smirked before pointing to some text on the page. _At least they can somewhat read it...Levy-san can't help at all._ "This. I think this is what we're looking into at the moment."

Natsu squinted, and Rhith ignored the hot breath on her bared neck when Sting leaned over her shoulder to look, taking advantage of the moment instead of shifting to look at it like a normal person. Rogue narrowed his eyes as he studied the only some-what familiar characters before blinking. "Alternate worlds?"

"Mhm," Rhith agreed. She reached over to grab the parchment she'd been taking notes on, scratching out a diagram with her pen. "Look. According to the book there are several worlds. You have ours, the Celestial Spirits' home, and then several others that are all controlled by the Spirit's world." She licked her lips, very aware of the blue eyes that followed the motion.

"So...we think Lucy is in another world?" Rogue murmured.

"Like Edolas?" Natsu questioned to no one in particular and earning a curious look from the three other mages. He shrugged. "We got dragged to Edolas 'cause of some old crazy king that thought he could suck our magic up. S'another world like you said. Had alternate versions of us and everything."

"Interesting," Rhith commented, "I didn't know that you already knew about such things, Natsu...but yes, I suppose it's like this Edolas you speak of."

"But Loke couldn't sense her, remember?" Sting supplied. "Surely he could sense her if she was in another of these realms of yours…"

Rhith flashed him a pleased grin. "Glad you asked. Here's the thing." She scratched out a new diagram, creating a series of lines that seemed to pile on top of one another. "I think the realms...worlds...whatever you call them are organized like this, in ranks almost. This world-"

"Earthland," Natsu offered.

"Earthland," Rhith repeated, "Is here. Many other worlds are in this ranking, and are all on the same level. Edolas, for example. And if you go up a rank, there's the Celestial Spirit World." She shifted the pen up, and then finally to the last one. "I think Lucy's still alive, but I think she's here. In a world the Spirits can's see."

Rogue crossed his arms, crimson gaze studying the parchment she'd put her diagrams on. "It makes sense," he finally agreed, "Perhaps we should see what the Spirits know?"

"Smart," Rhith commented, "They might have a clue or more on the matter of alternate worlds...I'll have Levy-san look into it, too, she can help."

"We'll help!" Lector offered from where he and Frosch were. "We can look through books to try and find ones that are helpful!"

"Why don't you grab Happy and get to work on that?" Natsu suggested. "He'll help. I'll help, too, that way we can find where she is faster." His onyx eyes darted to Rhith for permission and she beamed proudly, excited to have so many people willing to assist her for the first time ever.

"What do you want us to do?" Sting demanded.

"Rogue-san, I want you helping me figure out information in the book," Rhith ordered, "Eucliffe-san, I want you to get Levy-san and then scan through those books with her to see what you can find on anything about this war that happened or the worlds. Anything you think might have to do with who kidnapped her would help, too."

Sting's lips tugged into a pout for a moment before he agreed, and Rogue frowned only briefly at his partner before saying firmly, "Of course. Let's get to work. The sooner we figure out what has Lucy, the better."

"Agreed," Rhith replied. She turned to Natsu, pushing past Sting to stand in a space with more room. "Natsu, could you summon Loke-san? I'd like to see what he has to say about my theory."

"Sure." Relieved to have something immediately distracting to do, Natsu dug out Lucy's keys and gently selected the correct key. Rhith smiled to herself; he clearly adored the celestial mage enough that he knew which key was which, and she found herself hoping that they could save her for him.

More so for his mind than for herself, because there weren't many who'd miss her if she died. It came with being a lone mage. If it came down to it, she _would_ make sure that there was someone who would kill her. She'd rather Lucy be alive. Especially if it was because people wanted her dead that they were threatening to kill the celestial mage.

"Loke," was all Natsu had to say, and the Spirit appeared on his own power.

The first thing he did was smile flirtatiously at Rhith, earning a rather malicious snarl from the white dragon slayer as he left to drag Levy - and more than likely her constant companions - into the archives to help. Rhith was glad that the rest of the guild was doing what they could, too.

Which basically consisted of preparing Fairy Tail's guildhall for war. Reinforcing the walls, checking for any clues left behind by the illusion, the likes.

"Hello again, beautiful," Loke murmured before focusing, his attention directed on more important matters. "You've found something."

"Yes," Rhith said, and then went to work on explaining her theory to him. Loke nodded, and Levy, the brown Exceed she'd seen from before, and Sting - with Gajeel reluctantly in tow - arrived halfway through the explanation. Levy paused to listen as Sting and Gajeel went to start looking through books.

When Rhith had finished, Loke nodded his head in thought. "It's possible. It would explain why I can't sense her and how they're still keeping her alive, wouldn't it?" The Lion tilted his head in thought, contemplating this before suddenly whirling away. He'd noticed what was on the table, and he found himself turning to look over it: the book that Levy had attempted to decipher before Rhith had arrived. His gaze sharpened nervously.

"The language... " he rasped. "Vila-san, may I ask what language this is?"

She blinked. "Um...Neráidan. I don't know who originally spoke the language, or how I actually know it or anything, but-"

" _Neráidan?_ " Loke repeated. "You swear that it's…?"

"Um...yes?" Rhith exchanged a bewildered look with Rogue. "I mean, the dragon slayers think it's something close to the language their parents taught them, Draconic, so…"

"Shit," Loke muttered. He spun on his heel, looking Natsu straight in the eye. "Natsu, Lucy's in more trouble than we thought. I should have known from the second that this all started that it was them…"

"You know who it is?" Levy was on her feet again in an instant, Gajeel and Sting following her over.

Rogue narrowed his eyes. "What are we up against?"

Loke glanced at Rhith, searching her gaze before saying in a language that only she could understand, "Tá muid suas i gcoinne rud éigin go beagnach chomh dona leis an Chaos Dragon féin, Rhith-san." _We are up against something that's almost as bad as the Chaos Dragon himself, Rhith-san._

She shivered at what Loke said next alongside simply stared at him in utter bewilderment.

"Táimid suas i gcoinne sióga, I mo thuairimse."

Rhith blinked once, twice, and then narrowed her gaze warily, frowning. "Wait...you seriously think we're up against _fairies_?"

There was a moment of silence before Sting and Gajeel roared with laughter, Levy frowning at the pair of them. Rogue snorted in disbelief, and Natsu merely remained quiet as the four Exceeds chattered amongst themselves, arguing about what food was better: fish or kiwis.

Loke shot Sting and Gajeel a furious glare. "Laugh all you want, it's more than likely true. Fairies are higher on the scale in power than we Spirits are, and they are practically the creators of light magic. They can manipulate it to their will - which means they can take away my magic as well as Rhith-san's. They fought alongside the dragons in the war."

Rhith pressed her lips together, murmuring the illusion's words aloud. "It said that whoever controlled it did all of those things...creators of white magic and anything along those lines, as _well_ as working with dragons. Their languages are so similar…"

"Mavis would know," Natsu said suddenly, silencing them all. "Mavis is obsessed with fairies, she might know something that even Loke doesn't."

"Natsu," Levy said gently, "I highly doubt that she's ever actually met a fairy-"

"Just because she hasn't met one doesn't mean she doesn't know anything," he pointed out.

There was a brief moment where Rhith studied the dragon slayer. "...for a drunk man, you're highly intelligent. You certainly surpass Eucliffe-san."

"Hey!" Sting snapped, grumbling about how Rhith needed to lighten up and accept that he wasn't as stupid as she seemed to think - earning himself a smirk on her part and an eye-roll from his partner.

"So say it is fairies," Rogue said carefully, thoughtful as he called for Frosch. The Exceed hurried over and Rhith snatched him before Rogue could, earning a frown from the shadow mage. "What can we do against them? Is there even a way to figure out how to get to them?"

"The fairies left thousands of years ago." Loke sighed heavily, shaking his head. "We don't know where to, but we received a message that they were tired of the human world and had gone to some other place. They weren't going to have contact with any of us ever again and were intent on having peace."

"So why are they so intent on killing Rhith?" Levy demanded.

Rogue growled at the thought. Gajeel said nothing, and Natsu only shook his head with a huff.

Sting looked plain out murderous.

"That," Loke said, "Is a very good question."

Rhith threw her hands up. "I've got nothing, okay? I've been in another country since I was smaller and got out of my parents' place. I've never come across anyone that I thought to be a fairy or some other creature. The closest I've gotten is you, Loke-san."

"Perhaps your parents offended them then?" Rogue suggested.

Gajeel grunted. "Fuckers probably did something they didn't like."

Rhith gave a dry smile. "Yeah, probably. Too bad for the fairies that they off- I mean, died years back, before I joined forces with the Council."

She didn't pay attention to the curious looks sent her way as Rhith waved her fingers, allowing a butterfly to form. "In any case, we have a week to figure out where Lucy-san is. If we can't find her, I'm dead. Whether it be the fairies that kill me or something else."

"Fairy Tail doesn't work that way," Natsu growled. His onyx eyes were ablaze with an offended rage. "Even if Luce… We won't let you get killed. We'll fight. We help those who need the help, even if we lose along the way."

"Ditto, here," Sting drawled. "We're not just for show, ya know. Our guild does work, too. We'll help, I'll call on the lacrima for Yukino and get Sabertooth's lazy asses over to Magnolia. We've got two weeks. Takes under a day to get here."

Rhith threw him a grateful look, burgundy eyes shining suspiciously as she slammed her hands together, rubbing them with a look of determination. "Alright," the illusion mage practically purred. "We have two things at the top of our list, and we're going to need everyone to do it. The first is we _have_ to find out a way to get to this other world, where they are likely holding Lucy-san prisoner."

"And the second?" Rogue murmured.

"The second is I have to assist you all in fighting against illusions. If these fairies are as they said, the creators of light magic, that means they'll be damn good with magic like Eucliffe-san's and mine. So let's get to work, because we have only thirteen days left."

* * *

 _Just curious...did any of you guess fairies? I don't think I saw anyone guessing fairies in the reviews. XD Anyhow. What do you guys think of the new NAIS cover? I like it a lot. I think it's pretty._

 _Thanks to reviewers (MaybeALittleBroken, LePengwen, sassykitten1701, misssbehavin, PinkFireandGoldenStars, NaLu and InuKag, CrystalVixen93, and brooke315!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	8. Sparring

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

The next morning found Natsu standing beside Rhith with a curious look on his face as she showed a group of Fairy Tail mages her illusion magic. It had been decided that she and Sting - as well as anyone else who had light, illusion, or white magic - would split those who weren't looking into the other world they needed to find into groups and spar with them, teaching them the ways of dealing with it outside of simply launching in head first.

It was intriguing and - miraculously - distracting. Rhith had been showing he, Gray, Juvia, Mira, Romeo, Lisanna, Cana, and Bisca how it worked, and had been explaining just what it could do in regards to fighting-wise, and he found it fascinating. She created a silvery butterfly that solidified, and then used her magic to make it real.

"The problem with fighting against illusions," Rhith was explaining at the moment, waving for Lisanna to step away so that she could use the other woman as an example. "Is that they can take the form of anything, and even use weaker spells that the other mage is capable of...for example."

Natsu watched intently alongside the rest of them as Rhith asked Lisanna something, and the take-over mage whispered back before the illusion mage expertly flicked her fingers, looking smug at the look on their faces when another version of Lisanna appeared. It was glowing silver until she made it solid.

And then it smiled, a giggle leaving its lips.

"Wow," Cana whistled. The drunkard had abandoned her alcohol for once, and was tilting her head. "And you said it can use weaker spells?"

"Yep." Rhith twitched and the illusion suddenly transformed into one that Lisanna used often. "It also depends on the user of the illusion magic. If I were to attempt to replicate...Natsu, for example, his magic is far more developed and powerful than I can even think of being, so I wouldn't be able to copy his magic."

"Interesting," Gray muttered before questioning, "Do you fight?"

"I defended some wealthy people for years, I had to," was Rhith's answer much to all of their delight.

It was Fairy Tail, after all, and Fairy Tail was a mage's guild full of fighters.

"So." Rhith cocked her head, banishing her illusion. "Who wants to try first?"

"Juvia will try," the blue-haired woman offered shyly, earning a rather large grin from Gray. Natsu made a face at the popsicle's idiocy; did he _want_ to encourage her?

Natsu joined the others in taking a few steps back, and he watched quietly as Rhith shouted to Sting, his group, and the many Exceeds (who were all watching the training side-by-side) to watch out, because they were about to start.

Juvia fell into a stance, her feet bracing her, her blue eyes thoughtful as her fingers turned to water. Rhith simply stood there, her burgundy eyes focused. Natsu knew that Sting was watching her just as intently; both were curious about what the strangely scented woman would do.

And Sting may have looked a little bit more than aggravated by the idea that she might get a little cut up during the sparring match.

"On your move," Rhith told Juvia.

Juvia took a deep breath and then struck. Her arm lashed out, turning into water, and she looked a bit smug about the matter that it was one of her quickest attacks yet.

Yet Rhith put a halt to the attack just as quickly. She did some quick motion with her hand and almost instantly, she was gone, replaced with Gray. Juvia yanked back, avoiding him just barely and the illusion rippled before disappearing, and Rhith's true appearance came through.

Juvia looked shocked. "You changed into Gray-sama?"

"No, I created the illusion that I was him," she explained. She turned back to all of those that were watching, smiling tightly. "That's the hardest part of fighting against illusion mages. Once they see what you care for most...they can twist it."

"Like what happened with Gajeel," Bisca muttered as Natsu listened with a frown on his face. Gajeel cared for Levy enough that the fairies had used her appearance to threaten him? Interesting...when Lucy was brought back and they were all safe, he'd make sure that he used that little tidbit of information to tease the moron.

"Like that," Rhith agreed, and then turned to Natsu. "Would you like to try now? I don't know what Lucy-san looks like, so it'll take a different kind of effort for me to try and distract you enough to win." Her burgundy eyes were gleaming with determination, and Natsu took a deep breath, the strange tug her scent created telling him to not.

Yet he gave a curt nod. "Sure. But I'm not gonna hit you, or anything."

"That's fine, just try and get me on the ground," Rhith told him. She watched him as he took Juvia's place, the water mage looking amused with herself as she went to stand beside Gray, who scolded her sharply for such a thing.

Natsu was the only one who noticed the pleased look on his face.

Falling into his usual stance, fists raised and ablaze with fire, Natsu readied himself.

"Your call," Rhith mused, and then suddenly whipped her head around to glare at Sting when he began to voice his protest. "You, shush!"

Natsu struck.

She was caught by surprise, but she managed to miraculously avoid his somewhat softened blow, allowing it to singe a few strands of hair. Natsu watched her take a breath to steady herself, and then focus completely on the sparring match. She followed his movements, he realized. She was studying his actions, how he moved, how he reacted, even how he _looked_ , and within seconds, her illusions were created.

"What the _fuck_?" he muttered, pausing in awe at the heavy creature struck the ground in front of her. It was one of the metallic dragon-like creatures that Motherglare had dropped during the Grand Magic Games, its teeth bared and ready to fight.

"Wait a second," Natsu heard Sting mention behind him and then focused on the fight when the creature lunged at him.

Natsu narrowed his eyes, taking on a new round of respect for the illusion mage. He had his suspicions in that moment - clearly, she _must_ have been at the Grand Magic Games to have seen such a creature, even though she'd claimed to have been in another country.

She was with the Council. He supposed Mest could have had something to do with it, honestly, which would explain a _lot_. Because he didn't remember seeing her around whatsoever during the fighting, and he was damn sure he would have noticed Rhith.

Natsu swerved to avoid the creature's attack, wincing when it nicked his arm, and then fired his own blast of fire at it.

It disappeared almost immediately, but then there was a second one firing at him from behind, a third from his right. Natsu swore loudly, earning a laugh from their audience as he dove to avoid their blasts and threw himself _through_ one of them.

They weren't real, he told himself.

And all of a sudden, they were gone.

It clicked in his mind. Rhith had told him that illusions were only real so long as you thought they were. They disappeared the second you realized that they weren't. Grinning, he lunged at her, crashing into her in a swirl of flames. Natsu softened the blow, his flames searing but never hurting her as he cushioned their landing, twisting so she landed on him.

Rhith burst into laughter after a moment of shocked silence, the sound ringing out joyously despite the reason behind their sparring. She rolled off of him with sparkling burgundy eyes. "Good job, Natsu, that was good. Keep in mind, though. The illusions the fairy will put up will be harder to see past, simply because they know how to twist your mind and heart."

"Got it," he said cheerfully, flashing her a grin that held no trace of sadness.

Sting watched intently from where he was until Cana suddenly smirked, a sly look on her face. "Hey, Rhith-chan," she drawled, "Why don't you face down with Eucliffe here? I'm sure he'd like it."

"Oi!" the white dragon slayer growled, turning on her, but Natsu cackled as Mira, with her intensive need for matchmaking, shoved him forward. "Your turn, Sting!"

"Come, Eucliffe-san," Rhith purred as she brushed herself off, and Natsu scampered out of the way with a grin. "Let's see just how well _you_ do against an illusion."

Sting made a face, his expression twisting into one of stubbornness. "No. I'm not fighting with you."

"Hm, too bad." Rhith sidled closer until she was a mere breath away. Despite the fact that she was a good foot or two shorter than he, she stood on tiptoe that her face wasn't too far from his, and he practically went cross-eyed, his senses going into overdrive at her proximity, visions of a rather fun little activity appearing in the back of his mind-

"'Cause I'm fighting you," she mused and then quite suddenly slammed a well aimed blow into his jaw.

Sting reeled back, swearing and cradling his jaw as he leaped back to avoid another jab. She skipped backwards, hands clasped behind her back with all the look of someone who was innocent. Natsu couldn't stop laughing alongside everyone else.

Romeo was on the ground, practically crying.

Rhith smiled angelically, and an illusionary wolf materialized beside her, towering above her and lunging for him. Its teeth dug into his his shoulder, and Rhith had no qualms about holding back, because she allowed it to tear into his flesh, drawing blood.

Sting lost his temper at that. Snarling, he unleashed a White Dragon's Roar, and then went to work on trying to get to Rhith, who miraculously managed to confuse the hell out of him by creating a second version of herself.

Natsu almost felt bad for the poor bastard.

She was trying a million times harder with him than she had against Natsu - but Natsu guessed that she'd known he'd see through her tricks.

This time, she was legitimately trying to fight him. Probably because Sting's constant attempts to flirt with her were starting to really piss her off.

One of her illusions - an illusion of herself - appeared behind him, and he jerked around when she whispered something in his ear to gape at it just a second before it landed another punch. Rhith laughed at the grin that flashed across his face, and Natsu backtracked his thoughts from seconds ago.

She wasn't that pissed off about the flirting.

In fact, she was flirting a bit in return.

He smirked; she'd decided to offer him something that would _really_ get him to fight.

Rhith twisted out of the way when he nearly managed to pin her to the ground, her burgundy eyes flashing with amusement as she heard him swear in frustration. Natsu cocked his head, studying the way Rhith seemed to anticipate every movement that he made.

For someone who didn't have combative magic, Rhith was pretty damn good.

Suddenly, things turned in Sting's favor. He caught her ankle when she slid up behind him to deliver a kick to a place that would have made Natsu whimper in sympathy, grinning when panic flashed across her face. He yanked her leg so that she hit the ground hard enough to drive the breath from her.

And then her illusions were gone, and he was caging her against the ground with a triumphant look on his face. His blue eyes glittered eagerly as he gasped, "You promised."

Rhith smirked and then pressed a kiss to his cheek before shoving him off. "I promised a kiss, I never said where and how," she chimed back before climbing to her feet, brushing herself off. "Okay," she said cheerfully, her eyes glowing as she turned to the clearly amused group. "Stop your little laughter and tell me. Who's next?"

Natsu watched as Sting staggered over, a pleased look on his face. "That," he told Natsu smugly, "Is how you get a girl's attention."

Natsu shrugged. "I already have a girl," he told him, though he knew better than to call Lucy such without her permission first. He fully intended on making her his girlfriend as soon as he found her though. He'd been contemplating the idea for a while, and all of this told him it was time he got a move on. "Tell it to someone who needs the tips."

"In other words, the stupid stripper over there," Sting uttered, and Natsu glanced back only to swear loudly and shout, "Gray, get your goddamn clothes on, man, we don't want to see your naked ass!"

* * *

After the training session - Rhith was pleased with all of them, as even Romeo had eventually seen past the illusions - everyone was too exhausted to do much else. Natsu went with Rhith and Sting to check in on how everyone doing research was doing, but there was nothing new there, and he eventually gave up on just about everything and went to go and sit with Cana.

The brunette didn't hesitate to shove alcohol into his hand.

Deciding to drink yet not to get drunk, Natsu sipped at it, listening as the pair gossiped about this and that, about whether or not they should bring something up with someone, or whether they should leave it be.

He honestly hoped that they left it alone, because he didn't care much for dealing with Mira's collateral damage.

Natsu fell into a quiet mood as he watched the guild slowly empty throughout the evening until just a few remained. He, alongside of the Strauss siblings, Erza, Levy, Gajeel, Wendy, Sabertooth's mages, the Exceeds, and Rhith all remained.

He kept that alcohol in his hand all evening, his eyes dark with a look of mourning. He wanted Lucy to come storming in the guildhall, squawking about how her rent was late because of him, or about how she had to give up part of her last paycheck because he'd gone and screwed up a portion of the next town over.

But that would have to wait. For now, Fairy Tail - and Sabertooth - were at war.

He watched silently as Sting sidled over to Rhith again despite Rogue and Lector's demands that he leave the studying woman be for the moment, as she was trying to work on finding Lucy, but he didn't listen and came to stand at her side, peering over her shoulder at whatever she was taking notes on.

He listened intently, thoughtful.

"Want anything to drink?" Sting was asking.

"Hm," she hummed back, "Water, if you wouldn't mind. Thank you, Eucliffe-san."

"Food while I'm at it?"

"No, thank you."

Sting left her be at that and came to grab a glass of water for her. Mira slid it to him only seconds after he asked for it, and Natsu smirked, chin on his folded arms as he watched her take the glass from the white dragon slayer, who smugly looked over at Rogue with a bit of triumph in his eyes as he mouthed, _Told you_.

Rhith snatched up the glass, sipping at it. Her eyes never left the papers as she set it back down, half-empty, and then suddenly paused, the pen in her grip stopping mid-scratch as a magic signature suddenly touched their minds. Natsu lifted his head, recognizing it; _Mest._

Why was Mest here? He was working with the Council for the most part, helping them in their endeavors.

Wendy looked calm about the matter, having worked with the man before, but Sting and Rogue, who hadn't, merely exchanged a wary look. Sting calmly remained where he was, but Rogue took a step in Rhith's direction, Frosch and Lector gathered in his arms as an excuse as he offered them for her to hold.

Rhith took them with an eagerness that made a half-drunken Natsu give a laugh.

Mest appeared in an instant, straightening upon his appearance. Rhith had to fight back a look of irritation as he turned on her, practically ignoring the rest of them.

He did smile just barely at Wendy when she greeted him, though.

Rhith didn't look pleased as she swung around to face him, chin jutting out. "What do you need? I'm busy."

"You weren't given orders or permission to involve yourself in this mess, Vila-san," Mest gritted out. Natsu had no doubts in his mind that Mest was all for helping out the mages of Fairy Tail, but these were orders, and orders he had to follow through with. "You were asked to investigate an influx of magic-"

"And I am," she said hotly. "The influx of magic is involved with what has happened to Lucy Heartfilia of Fairy Tail. The ones that took her are the reason it happened, as they put up some kind of barrier to block off Magnolia for a while. Talk to Fairy Tail's guildmaster, he'll back me up."

"As will Sabertooth," Sting added as he sidled over. Rhith, for once, didn't mind, even flashing him a quick smile for his support, which he returned happily.

Mest's eyes hardened just barely, and Natsu knew he was trying to decide what he needed to do next. He had to do his job, even if he wanted to learn more about what was going on and even go as far as to help. "We're withdrawing you from the job," he finally gritted out, though he was regretful about the matter. "It's dangerous for you to continue working on such a thing, and we'll send in -"

"Then I quit," Rhith bit out in response, though she seemed understanding. Strictly professional about the matter, she raised her chin. "I have no issue in dropping my contract, Gryder-san."

"Rhith." He dropped the honorific as he scrubbed a hand down his face. "It's not my choice, you know that. You can't just drop the contract-"

"Watch me." She turned her face away, back towards what she'd been working on. Mest opened his mouth to calmly make a retort and Sting decided to involve himself a bit more in the conversation.

"Why does it matter if she's helping Fairy Tail out?" he growled. "You guys like Lucy, don't you?"

Mest's gaze darted over to the cautiously watching fire mage. His onyx eyes were sharp, and Mest took care in how he responded now. "I understand that the situation is a precarious one, that Lucy is at risk, but we have to take into consideration that it will look terrible if one of the mages under the wing of the Council was killed-"

Natsu growled viciously. "So? What about Lucy?"

"Are you just going to let her die?" Mira said quietly from where she was wiping a shot glass out. She glanced up with sharp blue eyes. "It's Rhith that they're after, Mest. Apparently they threatened to kill Lucy should Natsu not agree to kill her. And he hasn't. We have close to two weeks to figure out how to deal with what they're up against before they come here to kill her. After killing Lucy."

Mest's eyes flashed with surprise as Wendy added quietly, "The Celestial Spirit that is the leader of the Zodiac told us that fairies are behind it."

"Fairies?" he grunted. "You're...you're serious? You guys are seriously believing that?"

"Yes, we are," a new voice cut in. They all glanced over to see Makarov, and Natsu was beyond relieved to discover that he'd left town for the day for a damn good reason; beside him was none other than Porlyusica.

They were preparing for the upcoming fight.

"We do think that we're up against fairies, it would explain quite a bit," Makarov continued. "Sabertooth is lending its power to us, and the strongest of the guild should be arriving eventually. I've made contact with the guildmasters of a few other guilds, and they've agreed to send their help as well. So if you'd like to just hand over the girl they want, be my guest. But you'll regret the loss of her when she dies even more."

Mest gave them a look of exasperation before shaking his head and turning back to Rhith. "Even if that was the case, you can't stay. Fairies or no, you're not a member of either guild, and are not legally allowed to remain and help with a matter that is strictly in relation to them-"

"Strauss-san," Rhith said, turning to Mira. "Where do you keep that stamp?"

"Hey, either guild works," Sting protested, "Yukino can give her a Sabertooth emblem."

"Sting, does it really matter what guild mark she gets at this point?" Rogue said in exasperation, clearly unhappy with Sting's determination to focus on matters that weren't very important at the time.

"Does to me," he muttered, earning a snicker from Natsu. Sting glared at him and the fire mage gave an impish grin before turning his attention back on the matter at hand, speaking up. "She's protected here. We're being really careful about what happens. And we need her help, she's teaching us."

"She is," Wendy insisted when Mest gave him a skeptical look. The sky dragon slayer gave Rhith a friendly smile. "And we want her here. Except for maybe Gajeel."

Natsu thought he could hear an annoyed growl coming from where the clueless researchers were hard at work, and he smirked at it. It was true, though, what Wendy had said; Gajeel apparently didn't feel the same fierce need to befriend and protect Rhith as the rest of them.

Which made him wonder just what Laxus thought on the matter. Technically, even if he hadn't been raised by a dragon, he _was_ a dragon slayer…

He curiously spared a look over his shoulder at the S-Class mage, who was seated at the bar. Mira was leaning against it beside him, close enough to touch and Natsu silently wondered when that had started happening.

Laxus was watching the situation with care, eyes drifting lazily from Rhith, to Mest, and then back, ready to pull apart any fights that might start under his grandfather's supervision. He didn't seem to care much for the silver-haired woman, not like he and the others did, but there was a tilt in his body that told Natsu he'd help her with reluctance if she asked for it.

Natsu hoped that he was the one who she went up against in a training spar next.

Mest groaned in exasperation before turning on Makarov with a sharp look. "You know as well as I do that this isn't something that I support. I'd be here myself if I'd known it was this bad; but the other members of the Council have decided that she needs to be taken out of the mess."

"I do," Makarov admitted. He looked unhappy as he continued, his eyes dark with a look that made Natsu nervous. "This is an incredibly unique and dangerous situation that none of us thought we'd ever be in - but that was what it was like when we fought the dragons in the Games, or even Acnologia back on Tenrou. We're prepared to die for our nakama, Mest. And if Rhith chooses to assist us, then we're grateful for her assistance."

Mest took a moment to gather his thoughts, and they _all_ watched in silence as he contemplated what to say next. Erza had come over and stood beside Natsu, gently placing an armored hand on his shoulder and giving it a reassuring squeeze. She saw it the way he did.

They weren't going to fight for just anyone.

They were about to kill themselves saving Lucy.

Because Lucy was more important to them than almost anyone else.

Mest spoke again, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine. We'll see to the abandonment of your contract. You know what happens when that does, so I won't need to pull you back to explain the rules...and to offer my assistance, I will seek out and find the independent guild Crime Sorciere. I am sure those two can offer their help."

"Jellal," Erza hummed, recognizing who would be coming. "He will be able to help big time, as will Meredy. I am glad."

And so was Natsu.

The more the help, the better.

Because this wasn't just a battle.

This was _war_.

* * *

 _And Rhith is officially out of the Council! Loved writing the bit where she sparred with Sting._

 _To Little Lizard Dragneel, who asked about Lucy's point of view...you'll have to wait for that. ;)_

 _To The 0bservanc3, who asked several questions... The dragons and fairies were against the Spirits...as well as several other creatures. It wasn't JUST those three species against one another. You'll see about the rest! :3_

 _Thanks to reviewers (Guest #1, Kauia, sassykitten1701, CrystalVixen93, LePengwen, Little Lizard Dragneel, The0bservanc3, NaLu and InuKag, summercharizard, brooke315, MaybeALittleBroken, and PinkFireandGoldenStars!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	9. Possibilities

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

To tell the truth, Rhith wasn't really sure what had possessed her to sweet talk Sting Eucliffe into fighting with her by promising a kiss. And while she didn't regret it truly - Sting really wasn't that bad of a person, nor was he a bad looking person - it did piss her off that he had decided that challenging her was the only way he was going to get such things.

"C'mon," he coaxed, "Fight me."

"I'm busy." Rhith flipped the page. "Rogue-san would gladly spar with you though. Right, Fro-kun?"

"Mhm," Frosch hummed tiredly, drowsily curling into her neck a bit more. One of her arms held him against her, the other resting on the table. "Rogue would spar."

Sting wrinkled his nose and Lector snickered before slapping some cards onto the table. "Your turn, Sting-kun."

Sting's attention was diverted as he struggled to figure out a way to win, even though Rhith knew without a doubt that there was no clear way for him _to_ win with her cheating for Lector again. Rhith paused in scanning through the book. "Didn't you offer to take them outside for more sparring?"

"Jellal-san showed up," was all he said.

It had been three days since Rhith had quit working with the Council, dropping her contract without so much as a second glance - though she did somewhat understand _why_ they'd wanted to withdraw her from the situation. It was extremely dangerous, and they valued her abilities highly; Mest had told her as much when he'd expressed his disappointment - and theirs.

But still.

Some things were more important.

Rhith pressed her lips together as she suddenly closed her book. Sting, sensing her distress, paused in his game of cards to look over with those ever watching blue eyes. They were in the archives, she was relieved to remember as tears pricked her eyes. So no one would have to see her ugly frustrated crying. Except the idiot and the two Exceeds, but she supposed that was okay.

"Nothing," she rasped, burying her face in her hands. "I can't find _anything_ , and Natsu has nothing. Loke-san none of the other Celestial Spirits have anything - not even Yukino-san's! _No one_. And they're all...they're all looking to me, because I can speak that stupid language."

Frosch purred soothingly, pressing against her as Sting sat back, watching her with a careful expression. His guild had shown up the day before. Well, a few of them had. Yukino, of course, with Rufus and Orga; Yukino had made sure to mark Rhith with Sabertooth's emblem upon her arrival, much to his satisfaction. The rest of the guild had been reluctant, still uncertain of how they were perceived by Fairy Tail despite being their allies for so long.

Lamia Scale had sent some mages, of course, but the rest of them...no guild truly seemed to believe what was going on.

And even if Lamia Scale _had_ come, Sting was suspicious that Lyon Vastia was only there to try and woo Juvia. Gray had seemed rather cranky since his arrival and had willingly let Juvia cling to him, much to her delight and Lyon's dismay.

But nothing had been found, as she'd pointed out. Even Levy was giving up on research, moving onto training while keeping a close eye on Gajeel, who still looked ready to throttle the illusion mage half of the time.

Sting opened his mouth to speak, uncertain of what to say, and then closed it to think. Finally, he said, "Well, I mean, what the hell are you going to find? They're fairies. They're supposed to be imaginary or some kind of legend, aren't they? Maybe some mythology books?" He shrugged. "S'not like we're gonna blame you if we can't find anything."

"You might not," Rhith mumbled. "But I will."

There was a brief moment of silence before Sting gave a growl that started deep in his chest and exploded outward. He hopped to his feet, startling all three of them, and then planted his hands on his hips, glaring down at the shocked woman. "The hell, man? Stop being an idiot. Stop blaming yourself, and stop your damn moping. Trust me, it does _nothing_ to help you."

He remembered feeling such emotions, after he'd thought Lector had been killed by the previous master of Sabertooth, and he refused to let her feel such things.

No one deserved to feel like someone's death or situation was their fault when it was the fault of the person behind the mess to begin with.

"Sting."

He paused in his rant to look back and stare at Rogue, who'd risen from the shadows with a grim look on his face. Frosch purred a greeting, but didn't bother to move, and Lector hopped over to join him in Rhith's arms as the illusion mage cradled both of them closer to her. "What? I'm in the middle of something."

"Pep talks can be saved for later," he muttered, frowning. He looked a bit disappointed that Frosch hadn't come to him, Sting noticed with a cackle. _Moron_. "Jellal-san thinks he knows something."

Rhith was on her feet in an instant, hope flaring through her. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go find out what he has to tell us!" Feeling a flash of sympathy for the dark-haired man, she offered the Exceed in her arms out. "You want to take Fro-kun so I can hold Lector-kun?"

He looked relieved as he snatched the cat from her arms and Sting rolled his eyes, reaching over her head to ruffle Lector's ears before leading them out of the archives to where the Fairy Tail guild and allies had gathered around Jellal and a shyly smiling Meredy. Neither looked comfortable, unused to being around so many people, Rhith guessed.

She knew exactly who Jellal Fernandes and his companions were. Of course, Ultear had disappeared long ago, presumed dead after the whole issue with the dragons. But you didn't work with the Council and _not_ know who he was; it just wasn't possible.

His gaze darted up and then latched onto her with a shocked look, as if he'd noticed something she hadn't.

Rhith was more interested in the serious looking blonde child that stood before him, peering up at him with hard green eyes and earning amused looks from those in Fairy Tail. What interested her the most, however, was how she was only a breath away, and he didn't seem to notice, instead raising a hand in greeting.

"Hello, Sting-san, Rogue-san," Jellal said, voice surprisingly soft. Meredy smiled playfully, and Rhith arched an eyebrow when Lyon grinned, watching her. _Freaking guilds and their need to flirt with one another…_

"S'up," Sting replied, earning an eye-roll from his partner. He pushed Rhith closer, and the girl tripped over her own feet with a yelp. "This is-"

"Rhith Vila, the trump card of the Magic Council." Jellal gave a dry smile. "Believe me. We know of her. You've done well in the past, capturing the attentions of several us who are trying our hardest to avoid being caught."

"That's funny," Rhith muttered, "Because I don't remember doing well in anything. I remember going to another country and staying there for the last unending years of my life."

"Mest," groaned a grumpy Natsu from where he was watching the whole event. "Probably him screwing with memories."

"No, it isn't him." The girl that was literally a breath away from Jellal spoke, capturing most of Fairy Tail's attention as Jellal introduced himself and Meredy. "This is not the work of a mage messing with memories…"

"Then whose work is it?" Rhith demanded.

There was a moment of silence.

"Who are you speaking to?" Sting muttered, arching an eyebrow.

The blonde girl stared at her with wide eyes, her entire body going still. Rhith met her gaze curiously, and then glanced uncertainly at the equally as shocked Natsu, seeking reassurance that she hadn't done something wrong. Wendy was the one who gathered her wits first.

"You...can you _see_ Mavis, Rhith-san?" she breathed.

"Um...yes? I mean, she's right there." Rhith nodded in Mavis' direction, glancing at the other Fairy Tail mages' faces. They were all gawking at her.

"What the _fuck_ , man?" Gray suddenly said. "Mavis-"

"Interesting," Mavis murmured, "Someone who is not of Fairy Tail and even supports another guild's emblem can see me...this is a curious turn of events."

"More than curious," Makarov said from where he was sitting on a table nearby. Everyone looked over at him. "This has _never_ happened before...does it have to do with her illusion magic, perhaps?"

Mavis tapped her lip. "Perhaps. But there is something different about her magic...so I don't think it's that." She skipped closer and Rhith took an uneasy step back, confusing Rogue when she nearly slammed into him and earned the shadow mage a growl from Sting. "Rhith Vila," she addressed, "Have you ever seen another ghost?"

"Um...not that I can think of?" Rhith muttered, bewildered. "You're a ghost?"

"What the hell," Sting grumbled, "I wanna see whoever she's talkin' to."

Jellal, too, looked interested. "Now...what I find more interesting than this development is that while Vila-san is here and breathing after years of supposedly being in a different country...is the fact that I could have sworn that we heard rumors of her death from the Council. I heard Mest muttering about it when he came around to warn me away from Hargeon."

A whole second round of commotion exploded.

* * *

Rhith's head ached by the time she stumbled into the room she was renting for the time being. She closed and locked the door behind her, and then sunk down to sit with her back pressed against it, her head in her hands as she sucked in a big breath before letting it out in a shaky whoosh.

The conversations with Jellal Fernandes were far more intimidating than she'd thought they would be, and it had taken all of her willpower not to rip her hair out for the last few hours. With Jellal questioning her being alive, the guilds curiously spouting never ending questions, the dragon slayers all showing some kind of ridiculously amplified emotion, and Sting hovering over her shoulder…

Well. Rhith was just about ready to change places with Lucy.

At least then she'd get some time to herself.

Eventually, the illusion mage dragged herself from the floor.

They had a week. Just one week to find Lucy Heartfilia before everything went to hell, and there'd been no sign of anything.

Rhith dropped onto the bed, falling backwards so that she was looking up at the ceiling. Her burgundy eyes searched nothing, her mind automatically organizing the information that had been delivered to them.

According to Jellal, he'd heard of her death. Mest himself had said it. Which made absolutely no sense since she'd been guarding over a wealthy family for years, now. She remembered coming from the country to Fiore to do what the Council had asked of her.

But then...Mest _had_ been a part of it, and she knew of his ability to screw with memories.

Rhith bit her lip, digging deep into her thoughts.

Say that she _had_ died. Say that she'd somehow come back to life... _how_? That was an important question. How the hell would she have come back to life? It was near impossible unless you dabbled in black magic, and she didn't. She dabbled in the opposite of black magic.

And _how_ had she died?

Perhaps in the way her nightmares told her, in an explosion of terror and uncontrollable tears?

Who knew. Perhaps she'd ask Mest when he came around again.

And then there had been the whole deal with Mavis. She'd been able to see a ghost, one that could only be seen by those of Fairy Tail, when she'd clearly worn the white emblem of Sabertooth upon stomach, just below the left part of her rib cage.

That was concerning to more than just her.

Not even the friendly Natsu had been pleased about such matters.

Groaning, Rhith scrubbed a hand down her face, thinking and thinking, but coming up with nothing but more questions. "What do I _do_?" she whispered, "Lucy-san, what the hell do they think I can do to find you, when-"

She suddenly shot up, her heart pounding in her chest as realization struck her.

One word had stuck with her.

What if, she began to think, just what _if_ , the fairies had their own realm, but it wasn't some kind of living realm, like the one they found themselves in, or the Spirit Realm?

What if they controlled a realm that the dead went to?

Excitement flashed through her and she nearly threw herself at the door, a huge grin flashing across her face. She swung it open and then scampered down the hall a few doors until she came across one that she knew housed Sting or Rogue. The other was right across the hall, but this one was closer., and she knocked hurriedly.

It opened a few minutes later, and Rhith had to stop to comprehend what she was seeing.

Sting was there, his blue eyes sleepy and a bit grouchy as he glared at her. His blond hair stuck up at every angle, and he'd long ago shed his clothes, wearing only a pair of sweatpants that hung low on his hips, leaving his muscular chest on display for everyone to look at.

It took her a brief moment to gather her thoughts before she scowled and turned her flushed face away. "Put some freaking clothes on, would you?"

Sting's lips curved slowly into a rather smug smirk as he drawled in response, "You're the one who came wandering up to my door, Rhith-chan. What do you need? Lector's not here, he went with Frosch and Rogue to get ice cream-"

Rhith shook her head and shoved her way past him, forcing herself to focus on the situation at hand. "I might have found where we need to get to. Which world, I mean." She crossed her arms tightly across her chest. "It's going to be a pain in the ass to get to though. It was probably difficult for them to get over here."

She'd caught Sting's attention and he kicked the door shut before planting his hands on his hips. "Talk."

She waved a hand, giving an uncommitted sound. "I'm not sure, but I think we're dealing with a place you can only get to in death. I was thinking about what Jellal-san said-"

"You weren't dead," Sting cut in, "There's no way someone just pops up again and walks around as if they weren't keeled over in the first place."

"-and it got me thinking, Eucliffe-san, what if there _are_ ways to come back to life, but it's near impossible for us humans? Even the most powerful of mages is a human at some level, so we end up transported, if only our souls, to this world. I don't know what happens there, if it's like some religious sort of deal, but only the strongest and very rarely humans can somehow fight their way back here." Rhith managed to continue talking over him, her burgundy eyes blazing with excitement.

"You do realize," he muttered, "That means there's a possibility you aren't even human?"

Rhith paused at that. "...then I'm not human, apparently, but I feel human. I look like the rest of you freaks. I've got the same parts as the rest of you-"

"I beg to differ," Sting muttered, and she rolled her eyes irritably. His eyes roved down her form appreciatively. "I could prove it."

"Stop thinking about sex for five damn minutes, would you?"

"You're the one who won't stop looking at my chest," he pointed out with a smirk, and she swore loudly, looking ready to beat him over the head as she turned and stalked towards the door, pushing past him again. "Let me know when you're ready to be serious. I'll be a few doors down waiting for Rogue to get back."

Sting grumbled and sneakily slid between she and the door again. "I'm listening, I'm listening. "Strong people fighting their way back to life, got it. How exactly do you plan to get in and out then?"

Rhith shook her head. "Who knows? I need to go speak with that Mavis girl about the matter; since she's a ghost, she might know what to do. It certainly helps that she's rather obsessed with fairies, though I don't think I've ever seen someone so excited about fairies before...even with what's going on now…"

Sting rolled his eyes and scrubbed a hand down his face before saying in a muffled voice. "Hold on, give me ten minutes and we'll head back to the guildhall. As much as I'm sure _you_ would appreciate it, I can't exactly run around Magnolia half-naked."

Rhith flushed again and ducked past him once more to slide out of the room. "Shut up and put some damn clothes on, Eucliffe-san," she said hotly, shutting the door quickly behind her.

She went back to her own room, making sure to grab a few possessions as she tugged a pair of sandals onto her feet. She ducked back out of the room and waited impatiently until Sting finally emerged, he wore a high-collared orange vest that made her snort in amusement. "You sure you can see over those things, Eucliffe-san?"

"Shut up," he grumbled, "I like this vest. I wear it a lot when I go on jobs; it helps protect my neck. You'd be surprised how many mages manage to get close enough to nearly slit my throat."

Rhith paused, startled by that, and then admitted, "Smart."

That was all she said on the matter, but he looked pleased enough by the fact that he'd gotten something that was somewhat close to an actual compliment from the illusion mage. "Left a note for Rogue or Lector, whoever finds it first, telling 'em where we went. Won't be Frosch that finds it, that's for sure."

"Leave Fro-kun alone," she huffed. "It's not his fault he's kind of...not completely there." Rhith crossed her arms across her chest, well aware that she captured his attention in doing so. "I swear, if you don't stop staring _right_ now-"

"You didn't stop staring," he said cheekily. Sting smirked at the angry look that crossed her face, enjoying the way she got irritated.

"If you don't want people staring in shock at the horror before them, then put on a fucking shirt, Eucliffe-san," she seethed, and he only cackled before falling into a contemplative silence.

When they reached the guildhall, it was near empty. It was rather late, she admitted, and Mirajane Strauss was in the midst of cleaning up before heading home for the day with her siblings. The only others still there were Makarov, who was conversing with a watchful Mavis, who noticed their arrival almost immediately, and Natsu and Happy, both of which who were sitting close together at the bar with worried looks on their faces.

Natsu spun around as soon as Rhith cleared her throat, flashing a quick grin and Sting made a displeased sound, unhappy with the fact that Rhith was far more friendly with the fire mage than with him.

"Rhith-chan," Mirajane said in surprise, "We thought you guys went back to your rooms for the night?"

"We did, but I think I might have an idea on where Lucy-san is," Rhith told them.

Natsu nearly tripped in his eagerness to get over. "You do?!" He shot to his feet, Happy snapping into the air beside him as they darted over. Sting shifted unhappily at the rapid movement, his body tensing in preparation to get defensive. "Where?"

Mirajane hurried over with Makarov and Mavis not far behind her, the ghost watching Rhith with shining curiosity, as if she was excited by the new puzzle presented before her. Rhith waited until they all stood before her, and then explained, "I was thinking about a few things when it came to my attention that it might not just be any world we're trying to get to. What if it's a world that requires certain keys to get to?"

"Well we've got plenty of those," Happy offered. The blue Exceed twitched his tail, dark eyes excited. "We just have to look at Lucy's!"

Rhith giggled at the cat, and then shook her head. "Not that kind of key. Certain circumstances. I think getting to this world requires death for the most part. I don't think Lucy-san's dead," she said hastily when Natsu growled angrily, "But most people would have to perish to get there."

Mavis was the first to speak in response - not that Sting could hear her reply. "It's possible," she murmured, fingers clasped at her lips. Her emerald eyes watched Rhith carefully. "More than possible. Explain further."

So Rhith did. She explained about how she thought getting in and out of such a world worked, about how only the fairies could enter and exit it without working their asses off, and she spoke of how it might explain something about her own supposed situation.

"I think I have an idea of how we might be able to get there, and it'll nearly kill me to do it, but it'll be worth it," Rhith finished off with, ignoring the darkness that crossed the dragon slayers' faces. She pressed her lips together before continuing. "If I can create the illusion - an illusion that is believable by the person it is happening to - of their death, than they may be able to be taken to that world."

"So it's kind of like their soul would be taken out of their body or something like that?" Natsu looked puzzled. "Does that mean Lucy's body is hidden around here somewhere?"

She shook her head. "Lucy-san's situation is unique," she murmured.

Makarov was quiet before he murmured, "I believe that you may have a plan that will work. So what does that mean about yourself then, Rhith Vila, if you are able to supposedly leave and enter such a difficult world without surprise to Jellal or the Council?"

Rhith licked her lips hesitantly. An idea had been tickling at the back of her mind for quite some time, and it hurt her - _killed_ her - to say it out loud. "Fairies...they've always been good with nature in the stories. I love gardening; I grow plants that are far more advanced than those of others. My magic is practically of theirs, almost theirs to an exact point in strength and ability, and the illusion that we saw...the way they moved. The way they acted. It reminded me of myself."

"You aren't a fairy." Natsu spoke stubbornly and Sting muttered irritable agreement, shifting closer, and Rhith easily rolled her eyes at both of them and stepped away.

"No," she said firmly, "I'm not. I would have the same harshness to my personality, I think, if I was. And they want to kill me. I think I might have some fairy blood in me though, maybe from generations ago or even my own parents. They hated me with a passion. It would explain a lot."

"But not explain what it explains," Mavis said with a puzzled look. "How could such a creature be willing to mix with a human? They are of normal size, though shorter than the average man...so I suppose it would be possible…"

"In any case," Sting began, crossing his arms. Mavis pouted at being interrupted, but Sting, not seeing, simply continued. "We know where she's at. We know how we might get there. So...what do we need to do?"

Rhith immediately jabbed a finger in Natsu's direction. "I can only work such magic on myself and possibly two others at a time. It still might kill me, though I suppose that's not such a big deal now, eh? Natsu's going. End of story. He is the one who needs to come for certain." Natsu looked pleased with the decision, and exchanged an excited look with Happy. "Which leaves an empty slot."

Sting grinned, opening his mouth to speak.

"I think I'd like it to be filled with Redfox-san."

Sting's jaw clicked shut, immediately angry. "Hey!" he huffed, "He's the one who's all for trying to get you killed!"

"And if I get into trouble, he'll be the one who thinks of Lucy-san and Natsu first," she retorted firmly. "He won't hesitate to leave me behind. He will not protest should I tell him to take them and get out of the area. _That_ is why I want Redfox-san going with us and not anyone other than Natsu, because I know that he will do exactly as I say. And he won't try to prove himself," she added, glaring at Sting when he grouchily spat a laser in Natsu's direction, frustrated that he wasn't apparently going.

Mavis nodded her approval. "Your tactics," she mused, "Have a ninety five percent chance at success, a four percent chance of failure for you, and a one percent chance of a failure for all of you to return."

Rhith grinned. "Perfect." She turned on Makarov. "This will use your mages and your children to succeed, so I'll ask you if I may do so?"

Makarov smiled warmly. "You are more than welcome to, my dear. You may have been marked by the Sabertooth emblem, but you are considered more than just a friend for your attempts to save our nakama."

"Strauss-san," Rhith asked, turning to Mirajane, who cut her off.

"Just Mira is fine."

"Mira," Rhith corrected, "Could you contact Redfox-san? It's best we get this show on the road. Before I chicken out and everything goes to freaking hell again."

* * *

 _Surprise! A possible location on Lucy and a possibility on what's up with Rhith! ;)_

 _To JcL107, who asked a question...I may or may not be confused about what you mean about the whole dragon slayers and needing to befriend and protect thing. I'm a bit confused. |D_

 _Thanks to reviewers (CrystalVixen93, MaybeALittleBroken, The 0bservanc3, Kauia, Aqua King, LePengwen, sassykitten1701, PinkFireandGoldenDragons, NaLu and InuKag, and JcL107!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	10. Fields of Gold

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

Natsu's onyx eyes were sharp as he watched those around them mutter under their breaths, their eyes uncertain and their posture tensed. Rhith stood before them all without an inkle of fear - though that might have been because there was a protective - overprotective, in his opinion, though Natsu really didn't have much room to talk - dragon slayer standing at her shoulder.

He wasn't stupid.

He knew that this was dangerous, and he knew that it was possible that this would kill him. He knew that it was more than possible all of them would perish in the rescue attempt - but even if they did, Lucy would be brought back, so he didn't mind the danger.

And he knew Sting knew it, too. The white dragon slayer had thrown what was close to a temper tantrum in the middle of the guild hall the previous night, demanding that she let him come instead of Gajeel, but Rhith had remained firm in her decision, outright arguing and snapping back at him. The bickering and fighting had come to an end when Rhith had scrubbed a hand down her face and pleaded quietly, _"Please, Sting, I can't take you. It has to be Redfox-san and Natsu."_

He'd agreed after that, but with clear unhappy reluctance, and had decided that he'd be sticking close until she left.

Natsu watched them with owlish eyes now, Erza perched on a seat beside him. The scarlet-haired woman had been quiet through all of the uproar over the past few days, suspicious of the way the dragon slayers acted around this newcomer. She wasn't hateful of Rhith like Gajeel, but she didn't trust her fully either - particularly after Jellal's words.

The blue-haired mage sat beside her, and Meredy beside him, followed up by a flirty Lyon. Natsu decided that it was the strangest group he'd ever sat with. Gray was a few tables over with Juvia and Levy, who was arguing quietly with Gajeel and warning that if he didn't help try to keep everyone safe, she'd never make him iron again.

Natsu snickered at that.

Levy had the iron dragon slayer that had once nearly killed her eating out of the palm of her hand - literally.

"Natsu," a shaky voice said suddenly, and he looked over at his blue-furred cat friend. Happy was tearful, his entire body trembling. Natsu's eyes went wide and he immediately grabbed Happy, demanding, "Happy! What's wrong?"

The Exceed burst into tears, sobbing. "I don't want you to go without me," he wailed. "What if you don't come back?! I don't want to lose you _and_ Lucy!"

Natsu was stunned; he'd been too focused on getting to his blonde companion to even think of the fact that he was leaving his oldest and other best friend behind. "Happy," he scolded, though he was gentle, "I've been through worse and come out alright. Remember Crocus and the dragons? We'll be okay. I trust Rhith. She'll get us back safely. All of us. Lucy will be with me when I come back, I swear."

Happy sniffled and hugged Natsu around the neck, and the rose-haired fire mage returned it tightly, soothingly patting his head. Erza watched all of this with a gentle eye. "Until the situation has been rectified, you can stay with me, Happy," she offered, and he nodded with another sniffle as Wendy came to join them, distressed.

"She shouldn't go, Natsu," she said with a small glare at no one in particular. "And neither should you nor Gajeel! It's dangerous for all of you! What if something goes wrong and you really _do_ die?! Porlyusica-san and I can't resurrect the dead!"

"We'll be fine, Wendy," Natsu sighed. "The trick is to believe we're dead, but it's an illusion because we won't really be dead. And when we're ready to come back, we just have to remind ourselves that we aren't. The thing is…" He rubbed the back of his head. "We have to tell Lucy to believe in us rather than that illusion thing."

He didn't realize that people had stopped listening to Rhith and had turned their attention on him until Rhith spoke. "That's a good point, and that's why you're coming," she said firmly. "Because you'll be able to convince her to believe us rather than the illusion, Natsu."

Natsu shrugged his shoulders. "She doesn't believe anyone but herself half the time, I don't know why you think she'll listen after so long being there."

Erza gave him a firm look. "Because you are Natsu, her partner, and you'll mess up the second you try to be too serious with her, which will prove just who the real Natsu is."

Natsu didn't know whether he should be pleased or not about such a thing. But still, he gave a small nod and then turned back to Happy, soothing his blue-furred friend with a kind expression as he murmured to him.

Rogue watched everyone from the shadows, and it surprised him when he approached and spoke. "Natsu. Bring everyone back safely. Both you and Gajeel. Sting and I do not wish to lose two out of the five of us that were raised by dragons."

Natsu was strangely touched by Rogue's concern, but agreed with ease, a knowing glint in his eyes as he promised, "I'll make sure Rhith and Lucy come back, too."

The Twin Dragon Slayers were rather fond of Lucy, he knew, and with Sting's strange obsession, he thought the promise seemed to be a good idea. And it was, because he knew Sting had been listening in and the white dragon slayer looked a little bit less agitated for the next few moments as Rhith briefed the guilds on what to do if they didn't come back.

"With an illusion, it'll look like our bodies are simply unconscious. Even if we believe we're dead, they'll breathe, dream, the likes. You need to make sure that our bodies aren't messed with in the time that we're like this. One wrong touch and the illusion could shatter. Natsu," she turned to address him, "I will tire quickly, so we won't have much time. If I fall unconscious completely than the illusion on me _will_ fail, and I won't be returning. We don't know if Lucy's body is there or here. I don't know where she'll reappear when we return, so your first step when we return will be to find her."

"Got it," he replied, climbing to his feet. He could sense that the time to move was coming, and so did Gajeel. Levy stood with him, hesitantly touching his arm with a nervous look in her hazel eyes, and he muttered something that only Natsu heard.

"I'll be okay, Levy," he promised in that gruff voice. "When we get back and after all of this shit is over, we can go get some dinner or something."

Levy looked pleased with such a suggestion, but told him, "When you get back, we'll have it at your place."

Natsu looked away, disgusted.

 _Way more information than I needed to hear…_

Rhith turned to Makarov with a hopeful look. "May I use your infirmary? It will allow you to keep an eye on us and if anything goes wrong, you should know right away."

"Of course," Makarov agreed almost immediately. "You are more than welcome to use it. If it takes longer than a few hours, I'll call for Porlyusica to see to you and make sure that everything is going well."

"Thank you," she murmured.

A few of the mages around them suddenly scrambled over, and Natsu found himself standing there with Gray's arm swung over his shoulder, muttering, "You still owe me for the whole Deliora incident, ya hear me? You better not go off and keel over on us."

"I won't," Natsu said with a rather faint grin. He teasingly dug his knuckles into his friend's forehead before both yelped as they were yanked into a hard plate of armor as Erza hugged them. "Ouch, woman!"

Erza ignored that and only hugged him so that all three of their heads were pressed together. A gentle look was on her face as she said quietly, "Bring back our teammate, Natsu. I believe that you'll be able to find her and bring her home."

Natsu's onyx eyes sharpened with determination. "I'll try my damn hardest," he promised, and she hugged them tighter before pulling away. He and Gray made a face and exchanged a pained look. _Ow_.

Erza gave him a nod and then turned to Jellal, frowning as she said, "Let's see if we can set up some kind of distraction for everyone else tonight while they're busy…"

* * *

Eventually, Natsu and Gajeel made their way to the infirmary, followed by Rhith, Levy, and Makarov, who'd decided that he would remain with them. Sting and Rogue along with their Exceeds forced their way in, and Rhith gave them an exasperated look. "You're like a stray cat," she grumbled to Sting. "You don't know how to leave well enough alone, do you?"

Natsu watched as he only smirked and leaned close enough that he was only a breath away. "Thought ya would need a kiss goodbye," he teased in response.

Rogue groaned. "Sting, leave her alone-"

She shocked every single person in the room when she rolled her eyes, snapped her hands over his cheeks, and then pulled him down to smash her lips against his. Sting gave some kind of startled grunt as they all stared, and then grinned hugely when she pulled back and told him, "Be good, and maybe you can have more when we're back."

Sting's blue eyes sharpened and Natsu made a sound of disgust once more at the look that flitted across his face. What was it with everyone and freaking _sex_?!

Rogue was at a complete and total loss. "Rhith," he began slowly, "I thought-"

She shrugged, twirling on her heel. "Honestly? The dragon slayers make me feel safe. Even Redfox-san. It's what made me hate you a bit, to be honest. How am I supposed to trust someone I don't know to keep me safe when others have tried to kill me in the past?" She looked unconcerned as Lector grabbed Sting's face and stared him in the eyes, horrified.

"I've lost you," Lector whispered, "I've lost the real Sting. Holy hell. ROGUE! HELP!"

Natsu roared with laughter and even Gajeel cracked a grin at this as Rhith sidled over to he and Natsu, waving towards beds that rested in the room.. "Okay, you two, let's do this. Lay on a bed, I'll work over each of you. Redfox-san, I'd like to prepare you first, because I don't trust Natsu to not go running off without us, if that's alright."

"Whatever," he grunted, "Just don't try anything funny. They may like ya, but I wouldn't mind sending you to this place permanently."

That earned a rather nasty comment from Sting that had Natsu doubling over, clutching his stomach as he laughed and Levy glaring full out at the blond dragon slayer until he simply sniffed and looked the other way.

When Gajeel had reluctantly settled down to let the illusion mage do what needed to be done, she stepped forward and ignored the growl in his chest in favor of gently placing a hand on either side of his face, her palms centered over his temples. "Okay, Redfox-san. I'm going to create an illusion that you're dead and you _have_ to believe it. If you don't believe it, it won't work."

"Got it. Do whatever." He closed his eyes and Rhith set to work on gently creating her spell, her eyes focused until suddenly, Gajeel's chest stopped moving for a second. Levy gave a cry of alarm, but Rhith waved her off.

"It's fine," she murmured as his breathing came back, faint and quick. "It just means my illusion is working. Trust me, Levy-chan. Your turn, Natsu."

Natsu couldn't bring himself to do much more than smile faintly as he dropped backwards onto one of the infirmary beds. "Remember what I said," she murmured to him as he closed his eyes. "Believe that my illusion is real. You are dead, and you are where Lucy-san is. If you cannot find Redfox-san, break the illusion. I know you can do it better than anyone else can."

Natsu was touched by her trust in him. Nevertheless, the fire mage did as she instructed. There was silence, and then suddenly, he couldn't breathe. Rather than telling himself that he was fine, that he could breathe, he accepted it, just as she'd told him to.

And just like that, it was easy.

There was peace for all of a few seconds before something hard suddenly slammed onto his chest, and he yelped, eyes snapping open to discover a grumpy Gajeel standing over him. A smirk crossed his face, sharp teeth gleaming in the brilliant sunlight around them. "Gihi. 'Bout time you got here, Salamander."

"Shut up," he muttered, shoving Gajeel's foot off and jumping to his feet. His gaze darted around, curiosity filling him.

They were in a field of beautiful gold. He'd never seen a place as peaceful as this, with beautiful blue skies and gentle clouds that cast rolling shadows. The wheat - or he thought it was that at least - rolled in the sweet breeze that made him want to curl up and purr like Happy.

"Shrimp would like it here," Gajeel uttered to his surprise, looking just as pleased by the place as he was.

"Don't get too comfortable."

Their heads snapped around as Rhith scrambled to her feet, staggering from exhaustion. "This is where the fairies are, more than likely. I'm glad this worked...now we have to find Lucy-san and get out. You two have noses. Do you smell anything?"

They exchanged a look. "There's a nice smelling breeze," Natsu admitted, taking a deep breath. he closed his eyes, sorting through scents until-

He turned and bolted. Heart pounding, he ignored the shouts behind him and simply ran as fast as he could, his entire body trembling with the eagerness to reach that familiar scent. He could barely hear them chasing after him, Gajeel's low voice snarling curses under his breath.

He ran for what seemed like forever, and then stopped as he reached the crest of a hill, Rhith and Gajeel panting softly behind him. He stared down into the valley that he'd come across, his lips curving into a massive grin when he saw her.

"Lucy," breathed the dragon slayer.

She was sleeping, he noted anxiously. Deeply. She was on her back, dressed in some kind of white dress that was pooled around her in a tantalizing way. Blonde hair was strewn around her face, but she didn't seem to be bothered by it, her fingers curled gently towards her palms on either side of her head.

"Lucy," he repeated, booking it down the hill. "Lucy!" He called her name louder this time, laughter in his voice when he saw her eyes flutter even from the distance he was at. She slowly sat up, rubbing at an eye, tired, and he didn't hesitate to launch himself at her when he was close enough. A sobbing laugh left him as they collided, his fingers digging into her as he wrapped his arms around her. "Lucy!" he gasped. "Luce!"

"Natsu?" she mumbled blearily, sounding bewildered. And then she snapped awake. "Natsu! _Natsu_!" She gave a cry, throwing her arms around his neck. He laughed as he tipped backwards, clutching the blonde to him, ignoring the relieved tears that spilled over his cheeks.

She was safe. More than safe. Unharmed.

And in his arms.

He whispered her name again, and she laughed softly against him. "You're here," she breathed, "I can't believe it! I knew you'd come! I couldn't get out, I don't know how I got here, but I...I knew you'd…"

"I'm here," he reassured as he sat up, still holding her.

"Oi! So are we, ya fuckin' bastard!"

Natsu yelped as Gajeel planted a booted foot on the back of his head, pushing roughly. The iron dragon slayer glared down at him, and Rhith laughed nervously behind him, peeking curiously at Lucy. He huffed, and then jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "That's Rhith, by the way. She's a crazy illusion mage who we think is half-fairy or somethin'. She's the one who helped me find you."

"Hi," Rhith said, waving a little. "It's nice to meet you at last, Lucy-san. But we need to leave. Before the fairies show up."

"Right," he muttered, shaking his head. He shot to his feet, pulling Lucy up with him and tucking her safely under his arm. "And you're not lookin' so good," he realized when she yawned.

Rhith laughed faintly. "I'm tired," she admitted. "I need to get out of here before I pass out completely. Redfox-san, you can wake up now, I guess." She glanced at him. He blinked, surprised. "Just remember that you're alive. You're not actually dead. If you need to, think of whoever you need to that's not here."

 _Levy_ , Natsu knew he'd think of, and Gajeel cracked a small grin, straightening.

"Gihi," he said, crossing his arms. "Guess I gotta let the shrimp know, eh?"

Natsu snorted. _Knew it_ , he cheered silently, resting his chin on Lucy's head as Gajeel suddenly vanished. She leaned into him, taking comfort in his touch before Rhith turned to her.

The illusion mage was breathing harshly, he realized nervously, worried for her. "Lucy-san, this is an illusion. You are not truly dead. I need you to truly realize that you aren't dead. Believe that you aren't. Use Natsu's presence, your other friends, to help you get out of here. We don't know where you'll wake up. Your body isn't in your apartment according to Natsu, nor is it in the guildhall. So when you get out of this, we'll have to find you. Or you'll have to come to us. Okay?"

Lucy looked bewildered as she tightened a hand on Natsu's. "What?"

"This is an illusion." Rhith gave her a gentle look. "I need you to pretend that you're waking up...can you do that for me? Believe that you're alive and wherever you were placed."

"Oh." Lucy glanced to Natsu for confirmation, and he gave a nod, so she took a deep breath, squeezed his hand, and then closed her eyes.

A second later, she was gone.

His heart twisted with fear, but he forced himself to calm down and order, "You next, Rhith. Or you won't go at all. I know you won't have enough strength to get out of it if you don't get out now."

Rhith gave a twisted smile, and then sneezed. Blood splattered the air, and he was horrified by it. "It's taking a lot of strength," she admitted, "My body's probably pouring blood from the nose by now. "Make sure you don't take too long, okay?"

And then she was gone, and Natsu was alone.

He took a moment to look around him, taking in the peace of the world, and he felt a sense of deja vu for a moment, as if he'd turn around and see Happy and the rest of the guild, waiting on him without Lucy there to greet him because he'd shown up first and she still had work to do. He pushed the feeling aside, and closed his eyes, immediately breaking the illusion.

It felt almost as if he was falling for a few minutes before he hit the ground and his eyes sprung open. A gasp escaped him as he fought for air, and Wendy appeared over him, smiling nervously. "Natsu!"

"Hey," he groaned, hoarse. His heart was pounding in his chest, he noticed faintly. He didn't understand why. He immediately turned his head to see Gajeel shakily sitting up with Levy holding him up by an arm, and then growled at the scent of blood.

Rhith was awake, fighting to weakly push back a far too close Sting. The white dragon slayer was uttering curses, trying to help stop the blood that still dripped from her nose and even from her lips, and Frosch watched anxiously alongside Lector, shoving napkins into his hands.

"Lucy," he ordered, suddenly rocking up. "I have to find Lucy, she's-"

"Rogue took a few of Fairy Tail and Lamia Scale to hunt her down," Wendy reassured. "They're looking for her now, Natsu, Erza and Gray are with them." She patted his arm in hopes of soothing him, and he relaxed, groaning. His body ached like nothing he'd ever felt before, and he couldn't get in enough air-

Rhith suddenly gagged, and then vomited, shoving Sting out of the way with a guilty look. Blood struck the floor and she nearly pitched forward. Sting caught her with a swear, and Wendy darted over, anxious. "Rhith-san," she ordered, "Lay down. You need rest, this used up way too much magic! Your organs nearly shut down!"

"Was worth it," was all she said before passing out entirely.

* * *

It seemed like forever before everyone calmed down. The guild was insanely pushy and demanding on what had happened, and exhausted, Natsu could barely get in enough time to rest before someone would come in and demand to know what had happened and if his nakama was okay.

After the sixth person, Natsu told them to shut up and get out unless they were bringing Lucy in with them.

It took hours upon hours to recover for all of them. Gajeel was up and inhaling iron that Levy made for him first. He came in often to mock the other dragon slayer for still being tired while he was up and moving, but Natsu promptly slept through most of it.

When he finally managed to get himself up and moving, his stomach rumbling for food and his mind determined to find Lucy, he was greeted with a bit of news that smacked him in the face like a brick.

"What do you mean Rhith's disappeared?" he demanded as he glared at a grouchy looking Sting. The other dragon slayer had shadows beneath his eyes, similar to his partner. Rogue was in a rather pissy mood, too, to be perfectly honest, and was glaring at Natsu.

"She just…." Sting made a gesture with his hand, frustrated. "I don't know! I left for two seconds, and she was gone!"

Jellal, who'd been listening in, cleared his throat from where he sat and spoke with care, aware that saying the wrong thing would piss them all off. "She used up quite a bit of her magic, Sting, Rogue. Perhaps she will reappear shortly, as she did before?"

Sting's head snapped around and a dark sound left his lips. "What the hell, man?" he growled, "She didn't die or anything-"

A brief pause.

"That was a lot of blood," Rogue muttered, earning a frown from the anxious Frosch in his lap.

"More than a lot," Natsu admitted. He rocked back on his heels, looking at Jellal now. "Do you know what happened the last time?"

"She died, supposedly." Jellal watched them calmly, yet with a curious look in his eyes. Just as he usually did. "And then she showed up, confused and lost in the middle of one of Crocus' blizzards. She would have died again had it not been for someone who found her and pulled her inside."

Sting was silent for a few moments. "Does she remember anything?"

Jellal chuckled. "The only reason she didn't is because of Mest. She'll remember when she arrives." They stared at him, and he shrugged. "It does well to befriend those that are supposed to be your enemy. She shows up at random. No destined locations from what Meredy and I know."

He glanced at the said woman, who shook her head and said sweetly, "Rhith-chan shows up wherever. At least she wasn't hurt too badly. There was one time that we heard of, where she was hurt rather severely and died several times."

"I thought you'd only heard of one time!" Natsu demanded.

"Rhith didn't need to know," Jellal replied.

Sting watched them anxiously. "She'll come back though?"

"As far as I know, yes."

And then there was silence, broken only by the sudden strangled shout of Natsu's name by a familiar voice that had him tearing towards the guild doors at full speed.

* * *

 _Lucy's back at last! But where has Rhith gone, I wonder? ;)_

 _To JcL107...I believe I kind of get what you're trying to question (please bear with me, I'm a very confused person). I don't like to use the term "mates" in regards to the dragon slayers, as I don't believe it's a good term to apply to humans. But basically, the bonds between the dragon slayers and their chosen relationships works like this IN MY EYES (making sure that's noted, 'cause it's just my opinion): throughout what I've learned of dragons through various myths, stories, etc. they stick with one mate for life. I like to think that the dragons passed this idea onto the dragon slayers, who make sure that they choose such things carefully. In other words, they don't play around with various partners usually. Because of this, I like to think that they're ridiculously protective of said partner, etc. But other than putting it as a very close relationship, I don't think I have many plans for linking as you put it. :)_

 _Thanks to reviewers (Kauia, Aqua King, The 0bservanc3, PinkFireandGoldenStars, LePengwen, MaybeALittleBroken, CrystalVixen93, JcL107, NaLu and InuKag, and Otaku-neesan!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	11. Safety

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

Her burgundy eyes snapped open, a ragged gasp leaving her lips. She wheezed for air, choking and heaving as she rolled onto her stomach, retching violently as it surged. She could feel a sharp breeze on her back, chilling her to the bone as she tried to sort through all of her thoughts yet unable to come up with a single one.

She lay like that for a while. Hours, maybe more. She wasn't entirely sure. She knew the sun was passing over head, ticking by like the hands of a clock, but she couldn't bring herself to care, too exhausted and sick to do anything.

Finally, things began to click together, and Rhith Vila shakily pushed herself to her feet, her naked legs shaking beneath her body. She staggered for a few moments, silvery hair hanging in her eyes as she took in her surroundings.

"I'm...not...in here," she mumbled, and then corrected herself. "There. I'm not there. Where am I?" She spun around on her heel. Names flashed through her mind, filling in the missing spaces and blanks, and she made a face as one in particular locked into place.

Sting Eucliffe, the guildmaster of Sabertooth, was going to _kill_ her.

And so was Rogue, because she knew that her disappearance would have upset Frosch.

Grumbling under her breath, Rhith hugged her arms across her naked chest, eyeing the empty area around her. It was silent, almost scarily so. But she couldn't hear any signs of civilization, so that would explain why. Taking a deep and shaky breath, tired, Rhith lifted a hand to her lips and blew into it.

A silver butterfly leaped into existence, fluttering its wings and flying away from her. She watched it go for a few moments before trudging forward, grateful that she'd mastered her magic enough to create the illusion that she was wearing clothes.

A thought suddenly entered her mind, and Rhith's gaze dropped to touch her stomach, where the Sabertooth emblem was supposed to be, stamped there by a kindly smiling Yukino Auguria, and she was - to her surprise - relieved to see that it was there.

Despite her original thoughts about anything in regards to the guilds...Rhith found herself rather fond of them. Particularly Sabertooth. She liked the way the guild was like a family, even if some people didn't like her still. She received uncomfortable looks from quite a few despite having been around them for days, but she liked the friendliness with which she was treated by other people.

Mainly the cats.

Heart twisting, Rhith continued onwards, making her way through the forest that she'd woken up in. She'd been walking for somewhat close to an hour before she felt a strange tickle in her chest that told her that someone had touched the illusion she'd created. The warmth told her just how gentle they'd been, reassuring her that it was someone who'd recognized the gesture.

Rhith's eyes narrowed as she finally began to hear the sounds of a nearby town.

Just how long had she been unconscious? Or whatever that had been...had it been what Jellal had described? Had she been dead and come back? She remembered the intense pain that the use of her magic in such a way had brought her, the way that her mouth had filled with blood…

She smacked her lips, making a face at the memory of the taste.

She didn't _think_ that there was still blood on her face…

Rhith reached the outskirts of the town and squinted at the buildings, making sure to keep up the illusion that she was wearing clothes. She'd get some real clothes when she got back to where people were undoubtedly waiting on her.

 _Natsu better appreciate this,_ she thought as she finally just stepped onto a street, looking for any signs to tell her where she was. Her short legs managed to keep up a speedy walk as she searched, her arms hugged awkwardly across her chest. _I technically died to get him what he wanted._

Suddenly, the entire situation caught her attention and she grunted in realization.

She had died for someone she hadn't even met. If what Jellal Fernandes had said was correct, anyways.

Of course, Rhith didn't regret it. She'd never regret giving up her however many lives for people who deserved it, and after what she'd seen with the Grand Magic Games, Lucy Heartfilia deserved it more than anyone else did.

Humming quietly as she finally found a decent main area of the town, she took no time at all to find a newspaper.

She scanned the front page, flashing a child that glanced her way in curiosity a smile, her burgundy eyes fierce with determination - until she realized where she was.

"Are you _kidding_ me?" Rhith whimpered, ignoring a weird look that she received. "I'm - _ugh_ , I don't even have money to get back…"

That explained the lovely smell of salt and fish on the air. Hargeon was a popular port town, known for its export of fish. And it was beautiful, she admitted, putting it away. She could hear the ocean, and she loved it. But it was a pain in the ass because she had no idea where Hargeon _was_ after a year in another country.

Frustrated and uncertain of what to do, Rhith licked her lips and cursed herself for not having any money. And she knew without a doubt that no one would give her the map she needed because she was herself and there was not a single person who wasn't in a guild that liked her.

It was while she was awkwardly glaring at her bare feet that a voice caught her attention, a loud bellowing voice. It was laughing and loud, and she found herself looking over to discover an excited group of children gathered around a man in a cloak. He was tall, and she could hear the faint creaking of metallic limbs as he moved, kneeling to playfully poke at a child in the stomach.

Rhith paused. And then her lips curved into a massive grin, excitement making her clasp her hands in front of her. Hopefully the man wasn't going to treat her like an enemy if she approached… Taking a breath, she scampered forward, smiling faintly when the children scattered, uncertain of her.

Gildarts Clive looked immediately to her, curious about _why_ the children were going away now. Parents glared hatefully over their shoulders at her as she greeted in a formal tone, "Hello! I'm Rhith Vila, newest member of Sabertooth because it's the only way the Council would leave me alone, and you happen to be Gildarts Clive if I remember correctly, one of the most powerful mages of Fairy Tail?"

He blinked slowly, confused. "...yes?" he said finally. "I guess. I'm Gildarts of Fairy Tail for sure."

"Good. I need you to help me get back to Magnolia if you don't mind." Rhith gave a sheepish and uncertain smile. "I know it's weird to ask that...but things have been happening." Nerves made her ramble as she continued to speak. "There's some fairies that are probably going to try and kill us all - that's apparently my fault - and Lucy Heartfilia is kind of running around who the hell knows where, had to make some illusions to get to her, and yeah."

Gildarts stared blankly at her before cracking a grin, laughing to himself. "I believe you," he reassured when she frowned. "Fairy Tail has its own way of doing things."

"Of course they do," she uttered, and then pleaded, "Could you help me get back to Magnolia? I think I might have died." This earned another completely blank stare and she flushed, admitting, "We think I'm not completely human, it's a long story. Dragon slayers are rather annoying, honestly. I don't have money. I can't get there by train or anything without money."

Realization flashed through Gildarts' eyes, and he chuckled. "Sure. Not like I'm gonna use all of it. Just gotta pay taxes." He shoved a hand into a bag that he had slung over his shoulder, and then offered a rather large stack of money. "Give the rest to Cana," he instructed. "When you get what you need. Late birthday gift. Tell her not to spend it all on alcohol."

" _Thank_ you," Rhith said softly, beyond grateful. She paused. "You're not going to return?"

"I will. After I finish up my job," he replied. "They survived without me, you know. Through a lot of things. Grand Magic Games, dragons, you name it. They don't need me. This old man's heading for the mountains." He winked, and planted a hand on her head, ruffling her wild silver hair. She winced. "I like you. You give off a strange feeling that makes me want to go away, but I like you."

"Thanks. I think?" Rhith paused, and then gave a faintly grateful look. "But seriously. Thank you, Clive-san-"

"Gildarts." He shook his head. "No one in Fairy Tail is into that kind of respect."

"I've noticed," she mused, and then bowed her head. "Anyways. Excuse me, I have to get going. Our war will be starting shortly now that we got Lucy-san back. Goodbye, Gildarts. I hope we meet again someday."

"Same goes here, Rhith." He winked again. "I'll have to buy you a drink next time."

Sighing at the fact that yet another person was flirting, Rhith said drily, "You'll have to fight Eucliffe-san then, because the weird guy has decided to latch on like some kind of fungus." This made Gildarts outright laugh, and she gave a wave before turning and bolting, glancing at the clock.

Nearly noon.

Just enough time to purchase some real clothes and then get on a train that left at half past, she thought. She could do this. Rhith could buy clothes and be back in Magnolia by the afternoon.

So, she took off at a speedy walk, determined to get back to the town of mages as soon as she could.

* * *

By the time she'd finished shopping for decent clothes, Rhith was satisfied and hoped to keep the outfit for quite some time. It was a violet dress, with a jean jacket that buttoned just beneath her breasts thrown over. Her feet were clad in black heeled sandals, a black headband in her hair to help keep her bangs out of her face and her "wings" out of her face.

She paused to purchase train tickets, and then swung onto the train with a determined look. Only a few hours, and then she'd be back among friends, she told herself as people moved away.

No one sat anywhere around her when she finally found a seat she liked.

She hugged her arms, leaning back in her seat. She'd forgotten just how lonely it got when you didn't have friends to ride with. She would have preferred even the nuisance that was Sting Eucliffe at this point. At least then someone would have been fending off the nasty looks that were being sent her way.

Rhith chewed on her lip as the train lurched forward after a while, impatience filling her. She began to create an illusion, playing with the butterfly that appeared before her eyes. She solidified it in color, her eyes thoughtful as she played.

It let her think, focus on matters that needed to be thought about.

They only had a matter of days, she knew. Only days before the fairies kept their promise and came looking for them. With Lucy freed, it would only piss them off more and she doubted they'd be escaping a war that was surely coming. Her lips pressed together at the thought.

They wanted her dead, that much was clear. She'd fight with them, but if it came down to it…

She'd let them kill her. It wasn't like she wouldn't come back.

Of course, if her magic was ripped from her, that was a bit different, but she didn't want to focus on such things anymore.

It was while she was chewing her nail, considering what to do about any of this, that someone slid into the seat across from her. She was so surprised that when she looked up, it took her a moment to recognize the ticks.

An illusion, if the jerky blinking was anything to go by.

She stiffened. "What do you want?" Rhith gritted out, the butterfly disappearing and dissolving into glowing white orbs that floated into the air. She fisted her hands in the skirt of her dress.

The illusion giggled. Its form was that of a young teen, a girl, with sharp green eyes and long brunette hair that flowed heavily over her shoulders. "To deliver a warning," it purred. "You've taken Lucy Heartfilia. We applaud you for figuring out where we were keeping her."

"I don't want your praise," Rhith spat irritably.

It only laughed. "We don't need to be here in person to take your magic, you know." Suddenly, its body was over hers, its clawed fingers resting over her heart. Rhith glared up at it without fear as it dug in, claws sinking through the fabric of her clothes and ripping at her flesh. "We could take it here and now."

"Then do it," Rhith challenged.

But the illusion sat back, smug. "Did you know," it said to her, "that when a fairy dies, they are reborn? They are recreated because their magic is so pure, it refuses to accept death." A pause, and then a giggle. "Oh, wait, you already knew that. Did you know that when a fairy dies and its magic has been ripped from it, it's trapped in an endless blackness? That's what we think, anyways."

Rhith chose to ignore that, her lips pressed together unhappily.

"Anyways, our warning." The illusion studied its bloodied talons. "Tomorrow. You have until tomorrow to kill yourself permanently, or we're coming. And mages won't be the only ones we target. Magnolia is a large place, is it not?"

"Leave the residents alone." Rhith took a deep breath, and then crossed her arms tightly. "I'll go. If you show up tomorrow evening, I'll leave. I don't want anyone hurt because of me. But...can you at least let me kill me for real? I don't want to live without my magic, the idea hurts…"

It cackled. "Stupid girl. What do you think our purpose is? To make you suffer. So live you shall." The illusion suddenly tilted its head, a purr escaping its throat like that of a cat. "Do you truly want to know why so many hate you? Why the kindness Fairy Tail and Sabertooth and anyone has shown you is a lie?"

Rhith couldn't help but look up at it with an expectant look. It grinned maliciously. "Your mother was killed," it taunted mockingly, "For her relationship with a mortal man. But she hid you from us. She couldn't hide you forever, of course. We killed your father the second we found him. And then we found you with those horrible people that you called your parents, thought were your birth parents...who would want _you_ , Rhith-chan? All of that excitement you feel because you think you finally have friends…? Lies. They will turn on you the second they learn of your heritage."

"Mm, let me think on that...yeah, no." Rhith smirked. "We already figured I had fairy blood, or something close. I mean, I saw Mavis-sama even with the emblem of Sabertooth on my body. So you think that they'll turn on me for such a thing? Like hell."

"And what makes you think they're not relieved you're not there?" it snapped, losing its smirk. "They're celebrating your death right now."

Rhith giggled. "Oh, I doubt it. Eucliffe-san was rather insistent on a goodbye kiss, you know, and Fro-kun loses his mind with worry if I get too close to the edge of Magnolia's canals. You're crazy, all of you."

She blinked.

When her eyes opened again, the illusion was gone, and a hiss echoed in her ear.

"Ní bheidh muid ag stopadh fiach duit. Is spraoi. Ní féidir liom fanacht a cuimilt an draíocht ó d'anam agus é ag breathnú mar a wither tú ar shiúl i rud ar bith."

 _We will never stop hunting you. It's fun. We can't wait to tear the magic from your soul and watch as it withers away into nothing._

* * *

Rhith threw herself from the train the second it pulled into the station, already looking. Her burgundy eyes found no one that she needed to see, however, and she scowled before darting forward. She wasn't familiar with the town, but it wasn't hard to find the guildhall she needed to get to.

It was, after all, the biggest building in Magnolia.

Exhaustion swept through her, the need to sleep filling her as she began to trudge towards Fairy Tail. Her booted feet slapped harshly against the cobblestoned ground. Her lips parted as she panted for breath, swearing quietly as she suddenly realized that she was so tired, she could barely move.

Her legs gave out and she viciously smacked a thigh in frustration.

 _What the hell!?_

What was _wrong_ with her?

She scampered out of the way of people and simply rested in an alleyway, her heart pounding painfully in her chest as she tried to calm down. She gave a soft sigh of impatience. She didn't have time for this, damn it-

" _Rhith-sama_?"

Her head snapped up, burgundy eyes locking with those of Frosch. The cat looked a little upset, and it took her no time to realize that he'd gotten himself lost. Again. She smiled faintly and then caught him in a tight hug when he leaped at her. "Rhith-sama!" he cheered. "You're back!"

"Hey, Fro-kun," she giggled, kissing his head. She closed her eyes, resting her head back. She could sleep...for hours, honestly…

He purred loudly against her. "Rogue will be happy," Frosch told her honestly. "And Sting and Lector-kun, too! And Natsu-san, and Erza-san, and Lucy-san…" He began to rant on and on about who would be happy to see her, and Rhith felt her heart swell with adoration for the Exceed.

"We need to get back to the guildhall," she realized suddenly, forcing her eyes open. She shakily moved him away so that she could stand up, leaning heavily on the wall. "To Fairy Tail's anyway. I got some interesting information...Fro-kun, here, let me carry you so you don't get lost again?" She scooped him into her arms, and then laughed when he purred loudly against her, excited.

"Okay!" he cheered.

Rhith began to calculate, her eyes darting this way and that as she shuffled forward, a sound of irritation escaping her when someone shoved past her. Someone had to be out looking for Frosch, even if it was just Rogue. If they were lucky, they'd come across him.

Not that it mattered, they'd all end up in the same location anyways-

"Frosch-kun!" she heard a few minutes later, and she paused in walking, recognizing the voice. "Frosch-kun, where are you?!"

"Wendy-chan," Rhith muttered, and then smiled at Frosch when he cheered back, "Over here, Wendy-san, Fro found Rhith-sama!"

The sky dragon slayer came hurtling around a corner a few moments later, trailed by a couple other Exceeds, and Rhith hid back a snort at the sight. Happy was cheerfully hovering behind her, closer to Charle and giving Lector several irritable looks. Lector ignored him, instead shouting, "Rhith-sama!" and throwing himself into her arms with Frosch.

"Rhith-san!" Wendy exclaimed happily, clapping her hands together. "We thought you'd come back! At least, we hoped...Jellal-san wasn't too certain…" She flushed.

"Well, I'm back. Just...exhausted," Rhith admitted with a sigh, glancing around. "Did you find Lucy-san?"

Wendy's eyes softened. "Yeah. Someone found her by accident. They were looking for some wild berries out in the forest and stumbled over her. They recognized her and carried her back. She woke up when she got close to the guildhall, and Master made sure to pay the man nicely for the work he did for us. He was given a gift, too, a favor from Fairy Tail. That'll pay off in the end."

"Good." Rhith gave a relieved smile. She dropped to the ground suddenly, grunting as she hit it. Lector and Frosch echoed her name anxiously, and she laughed breathlessly. "Sorry, I'm tired. I need to get some sleep...I think whatever I did sucked up a large quantity of my magic."

"Oh!" Wendy hurried closer. "Here, I'll-"

"Nonsense!" her Exceed cut in. Charle glared furiously at her. "You'll do no such thing. I'll go find Gajeel. He'll carry her back and we'll let her rest back at the guildhall. You must save your strength."

Wendy shook her head. "Gajeel-san's not a good idea. Levy-san said that it might be better to keep him away, Charle." She glanced anxiously at the exhausted illusion mage. "But Rogue is out, I'll see if I can find him...can you guys help? Lector-kun?"

"Sure, Fro-kun can stay with Rhith-sama," he told her and then hopped from Rhith's embrace and into the air. Within seconds, they were all sprinting and flying in opposite directions, Happy pausing to give Rhith a heart-felt word of gratitude before doing his part.

"Fro is happy you're back, Rhith-sama," Frosch told Rhith with a kind look.

Rhith tightened her grip around him. "Same," she agreed quietly, and then silently began to calculate what everyone's next move should be.

It seemed like only minutes when in reality, it was near an hour, that Wendy came jogging back into view, an extended shadow trailing behind her. Rogue appeared out of it without hesitation, a relieved look on his face. "Fro," he muttered as the Exceed cheered. "Rhith."

"Hello, Rogue-san," Rhith said faintly. "Glad to see you again."

He merely smiled slightly and said, "Wendy said you needed help?"

Wendy watched anxiously as Rhith agreed and Rogue carefully scooped her up, holding her small frame with ease. She grumbled under her breath about having to be carried, but accepted that there wasn't much else that could be done about the matter.

As they began the short trek back to Fairy Tail's guildhall, the other Exceeds soon floating around them with Wendy trotting at Rogue's side, keeping up with his long strides, Wendy explained what had happened and that Rhith had, in all honesty, been gone for nearly a week. Rhith apologized, but neither dragon slayer was willing to accept her apology.

"Lucy-san's only woken up twice," Wendy explained, "But there's nothing we can do. She's simply exhausted her magic supply that much in trying not to actually die. Natsu-san hasn't left her side for even a second, and he's been rather impatient, but he's happy. Sting-san's running himself ragged trying to help the others figure out where the fairies will come from, and Rogue-san's been doing sweeps with Gajeel and I to look out for them."

"Good job," Rhith praised. "But you don't have to anymore. They'll be coming tomorrow. That's what I was told. An illusion approached me...I think I'll wait to continue until everyone else can hear though. If you don't mind."

"You were approached?" Wendy trilled her alarm, making them all wince, which she sheepishly apologized for.

When they reached the guildhall, Wendy opened the door for them, and then hurried in after, calling for Sting and Makarov. Her voice was gentle, as if she was worried about waking the blonde that rested upstairs.

Spots dotted Rhith's vision as Makarov questioned what was the matter before stating Rhith's name in surprise, as if he was shocked to see her. Gajeel growled from his corner; Wendy beamed.

Sting came darting into view with the biggest smile of everyone, demanding that Rogue hand her to him, his excitement that she was back clear in his excited eyes.

And then she saw darkness, her eyes fluttering shut as exhaustion took over.

Finally.

 _Safe._

* * *

 _And now you know for sure what happens when Rhith disappears/dies for a short time! I'd like to point out that this is only because of the fairy blood within her, which is tied to her magic. ;)  
_

 _We got to see Gildarts for a bit. You won't see him again in NAIS. XD_

 _Thanks to reviewers (Ancient Glory, Otaku-neesan, Kauia, The 0bservanc3, NaLu and InuKag, LePengwen, Aqua King, CrystalVixen93, PinkFireandGoldenStars, sassykitten1701, summercharizard, ashinsky, and MaybeALittleBroken!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	12. One Another's

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

Natsu had heard when the commotion began, but he didn't actually bothered to get up, too busy making sure Lucy was still breathing as Chelia dozed a bed over after trying to use her magic to help her. He listened intently, trying to figure out what had happened, and it took only seconds for him to hear of Rhith before he hopped to his feet, hesitant to leave his partner and best friend, yet wanting to go and check on the silver-haired woman.

One look at Lucy and her peacefully sleeping face had him deciding.

She'd be alright for a few minutes.

He jogged through the upper story of the guildhall, easily following the noise to where people were chattering loudly. His sharp ears caught the occasional comment, and he grinned at the worried tone of them.

Rhith had brought Lucy back to them, and for that, the guild would forever be grateful to her.

He leaned over the balcony of the second floor and grinned down. His smile faltered, however, when he saw the unconscious illusion mage that Sting had taken from Rogue, muscled arms holding her aloft with ease. "Move," the guildmaster of Sabertooth demanded grouchily, "We gotta take her to get some rest and so Wendy can take a look."

Natsu blinked as they headed up the stairs. "What happened?" the fire mage demanded, making way for them. Rogue trudged up the steps, too, arms filled with Frosch and Lector. "Is she okay?"

"She'll be fine," Wendy reassured as she followed Sting towards the room where Lucy was. "She needs rest, that's all. Her magic supply was exhausted, possibly still left over from when she...uh, you know."

"She was tired when Fro found her," Frosch said as if that explained everything.

"So...then she's not just a human," Rogue muttered in thought.

Sting snapped his jaws at his partner in annoyance. "She's fine, leave her be. Who cares? Clearly she's on our side."

"Doesn't mean many others will appreciate it," Rogue pointed out quietly. "I'll go tell Makarov. Happy mentioned he'd do it, but no offense to you, Natsu, I don't think that's smart."

"I love him," Natsu admitted, "But he won't explain well." He watched Rogue leave with the Exceeds to do just that, and then turned his attention on the situation at hand, following Sting and Wendy. He paused to check on Lucy, and then focused on Rhith, anxious. "She'll wake up?"

"Yep," Wendy reassured. She looked puzzled. "This is strange...we've never had a half-fairy mage before. It's almost weirder than dragons now a days."

Sting only grunted as he gingerly placed the illusion mage in a bed, making sure he didn't knock her by accident. "And like I said, she's fine. She's not human, so what? Dragon slayers have bits of dragon implanted in their minds. S'not like I go nuts when scales show up."

"No one said it was weird," Wendy soothed, and then went to work on investigating.

Natsu watched without saying anything, worried for Rhith. She'd done too much for the guild to deserve anything but all they had to offer.

And Sting knew it, too, perhaps better than he did, his blue eyes never leaving Wendy as she tended to her.

Natsu's pink hair hung in his eyes as he licked his lips and finally said, "Lucy was moving around a bit earlier...think ya could come take a look later, Wendy? Your nose can catch things Chelia's can't. She thought she might have woken up for a few moments before sleeping again."

Wendy nodded thoughtfully. "Give me a bit. If Rhith wakes up, maybe she can take a look and see if it's an after effect of the illusion that was on her for so long."

"Okay." Natsu fell silent again, surprisingly quiet for once. He watched as Sting kept a fretful and overprotective eye on the illusion mage, growling when the woman made a tired sound of protest when Wendy poked her a bit too hard.

"She'll be fine," Wendy decided eventually, propping her hands on her slim hips. "She just needs rest like I thought. I'll do a bit of magic transfer. It'll make her feel sick, but it'll wake her up. She'll be able to get up rather than waiting a week or so. A week we won't have."

"Good." Sting folded his arms behind his head, glancing over when Natsu thoughtfully warned, "Don't use too much magic, Wendy. You need it if something's going to happen."

"True," she agreed. Wendy moved to rest her hands over Rhith's moving chest, a soft glow enveloping her fingers. She lightly let the magic sink into her, feeling the tug on her own, yet ignored it, determined to do what she could to help.

After a short while, she lowered her hands, smiling. "That should be enough for it to regather on its own. She'll be okay now, I promise. I'm going to take a look at Lucy-san...she should be awake by the time we come back," she told them. "Come on Natsu-san."

Natsu decided against staying where he was, eagerly following the younger dragon slayer towards Lucy's room. He wanted to make sure that his partner was going to be alright.

So it was very much a surprise when they walked in to discover Lucy sitting up with Chelia tiredly checking over, pausing when Wendy squealed happily and threw herself at Lucy for a hug. Lucy smiled faintly and hugged the sky dragon slayer tightly.

But her gaze met Natsu's and lingered, a smile lighting up her face. "Hey."

Natsu had never smiled bigger. "Hey," he said happily, and then popped his head out the door and bellowed for Happy to come to him. When that was done and he could hear Happy's wings beating at the air, he scampered over himself, and Lucy laughed when he ruffled her hair with a gentle hand. "Are you awake now? Lazy ass, you've been sleeping almost two weeks now."

Wendy giggled as she and Chelia finished up on checking her over. "Be nice, Natsu-san," she scolded playfully.

Lucy rolled her eyes, and then flushed when her stomach growled. "Maybe? I hope so. I'm tired of sleeping. I think I overslept." She yawned, and then swore when her stomach growled a second time. "I need food-"

"I'll get it," Chelia reassured and then hurried out of the room, sensing the need for the guild members to be alone. Wendy gave Lucy another hug, too happy to stay away for long, and Lucy could barely stop giggling at her.

Happy arrived seconds later with a wail, slamming straight into Lucy's chest when she threw her arms out. "Lucy!" he sobbed, tucking up against her. "You're awake!"

"Hey, Happy," she giggled, kissing his furry head before thanking Wendy and reassuring the blue Exceed that _yes_ , she was going to be fine. Natsu watched with a breathless grin on his face. His partner was awake, much more than she'd been the last time. Maybe she'd stay awake permanently now. He certainly hoped so.

He was beyond surprised when she reached out and caught his sleeve, dragging him into the hug, too. She pressed her face against his shoulder, and Natsu couldn't help but make a happy rumbling sound in the back of his throat as he crushed her and Happy to him.

"We missed you," Happy said softly.

"What he said," Natsu added, and Lucy gave a muffled sob, her grip tightening on them.

"I missed you, too," she gasped, quivering. Natsu ignored the fact that he'd probably get teased later as he lifted her, and then climbed onto the bed, folding his legs and pulling both of his friends into his lap. Wendy only smiled with a kind look before taking a plate of food that Chelia passed through.

"Here, Lucy-san," Wendy said softly, handing the plate to her. She took it, shifting until she was comfortable, Natsu's chin on her head. "We'll be out there if you need us, guys. I need to watch over Rhith-san with Chelia, or Sting-san will throw a fit."

Lucy paused. "Rhith...that was the girl who was with you and Gajeel?" Lucy said as Wendy closed the door behind her, leaving the original trio of Team Natsu in peace.

"Yeah," Natsu said, glaring until she began to eat again. Then he relaxed and puffed out a small wisp of flames. It became ash quickly and sprinkled her matted blonde hair. She didn't seem to notice, too busy eating. "She's good. I like her. She's our friend, right, Happy?"

"Aye, sir!" Happy purred. "Rhith-sama's, great."

"Turns out she's half-fairy," Natsu said firmly. He tilted his head slightly, appreciation for what Rhith had done running through him. "She died. She used too much magic getting you to wake up and died, but then she came back. But we owe her. A lot, Luce."

"Yeah," she muttered back, her voice laced with guilt that he didn't appreciate.

There were a few moments.

"Fairies?"

Natsu shook his head and began to explain everything that had happened since his partner had disappeared, simply planting his chin on her shoulder as she ate and refusing to let her go even once she was done eating. She even leaned her head against his, and Happy recognized the silent admission between the couple.

Lucy was Natsu's and Natsu was Lucy's.

It was as simple as that.

And nothing would ever change that.

* * *

Eventually, Natsu was told to leave by Erza - she and Gray had hurried up as soon as news reached their ears that Lucy was awake, eager to say hi and explain how happy they were. The requip mage wanted to have a turn with Lucy alone, and he needed to eat as well as check on Rhith, who'd finally woken up after a few hours.

By dusk, the guild was gathered in the guildhall. A few other mages were there still, including Lyon, who'd flirted mildly with Meredy despite Jellal glaring at him. Yukino was there with Rufus and Orga, curiously learning just how attached their guildmaster had gotten to the strange woman that had caught his attention.

It was while Natsu was happily chowing down on some food that Mirajane had lit on fire for him that he heard the call for Chelia.

Tipping the rest of his food into his mouth, Natsu hopped to his feet and scampered out of the main part of the guildhall. A few mages peered curiously after the pink-haired Salamander - Gajeel was the only one who grunted and acknowledged what had happened along with Rogue.

He meandered up the stairs just in time to catch the door before it clicked shut, sliding in himself before shutting it.

Rhith was up and awake once more. Sting hovered fretfully near her, his blue eyes concerned, and she was clearly annoyed with him for such a matter. But there was a hint of tired affection there, too. Wendy smiled as she treaded over, humming. "Hello, Rhith-san!"

"Wendy-chan," Rhith greeted, and then smiled faintly at Natsu. "Hello, Natsu."

"Yo," he greeted. He slid closer, glancing at Sting momentarily.

The white dragon slayer grumbled. "How come they get a hello and the first thing I get is a punch to the face?"

"They weren't a breath away when I opened my eyes," Rhith retorted, rolling her eyes. She crossed her arms, giving it a brief moment as Wendy prodded at her temples before finally muttering, "Nice to see you again, Sting."

Had they not been dragon slayers, they wouldn't have heard it. Sting's grin was broad and beyond happy as he folded his hands behind his head and expectantly looked to Wendy. The young mage giggled and stepped back. "She's okay now. She'll need a few more hours of sleep, but she can get up and walk for now. And because I know you'd like to know, Lucy-san just woke up a few hours ago, Rhith-san."

"That's good," Rhith breathed, looking relieved by this information. Her burgundy eyes flickered to Natsu for confirmation, and the sparkling onyx eyes were enough. She smiled sweetly, and then staggered to her feet, willingly grabbing Sting's arm to steady her short self. Wendy frowned in disapproval. "I want to meet her, but I need to speak with this idiot," she patted Sting's arm with slim pale fingers, "And Makarov-san."

"What happened?" Natsu asked, his voice filled with irritation. He, too, wanted to hear what this weird woman had to say! She only smiled tightly at him in response, her gaze searching his.

"I need to speak with the guildmasters, and then I'll tell everyone else," she replied, reassuring that she would tell him. "Go and keep Lucy-san company, Natsu. I'll call for you when I'm done, and you can bring her down, too."

A pause.

"Oh, yeah, by the way, I'm half-fairy."

Natsu wheezed out a snort of surprise at the information; he'd known that they were expecting something similar, but not in that way. Sting didn't look the least bit surprised. Both had already known of course. But to hear it from the woman herself surprised him.

Sting didn't even flinch. "And you're even more badass because of it."

"Aw, thanks," she cooed, and then kicked him in the shin with a nasty jerk before starting forward. "Come on, let's go. See you later, Natsu-san, Wendy-chan." She staggered forward a few steps, and then caught her balance when Sting grabbed her elbow.

Natsu and Wendy exchanged a look as they simply stood there in the suddenly empty room. "For someone who just recovered from some deficiency," Wendy admitted, "She's active and slightly crazy."

Natsu muttered his agreement.

* * *

When Lucy was given the clear, Natsu yanked her out of the bed and grinned when she yelped and nearly slammed into his chest. Elation filled him as he helped her out of the room and towards the stairs, where she paused to study the guild from the top. Happy cried out in excitement, stopping mid-bite while eating when he saw her.

Almost immediately, everyone took notice and was on their feet.

"Lu-chan!" Levy shrieked in excitement, nearly tipping herself over in her excitement. Gajeel caught her chair, ignoring her teammates' glares as he grabbed her by the petite waist and set her upright. Her face turned crimson, but no one noticed.

"Hey, Lucy!" Cana laughed, raising her beer into the air in greeting. A few others copied her, echoing her shout, and the second she made it to the bottom of the stairs, she was surrounded by her nakama, everyone excited to see her awake. She was overwhelmed by the amount of relief and happiness everyone showed, and Natsu found himself grinning so hard that his cheeks hurt.

Lucy was back, he thought proudly.

He suddenly became aware of something practically nipping at his chest. He dug around , and then withdrew Lucy's keys from the inside of his jacket. "Oh! Luce-"

"My keys!" she shrieked, throwing herself at him and snatching them from his hand. Almost immediately, she went to summon one - only for Loke to appear on his own power and yank her into a bone-crushing hug.

"Hey, Princess," he whispered to her, and Lucy gave a happy sob as she returned the hug. Natsu felt a flash of irritation when Loke kissed the top of her head and managed to wedge himself between the pair, shooting Loke a small glare before blinking when the Lion looked around and asked, "Is Rhith around?"

"No," he said back, "She's speaking with Gramps and Sting. Somethin' happened. She needs to tell 'em something before she tells us. Why?"

Loke frowned. "The Spirit King wants to grant his gift to her...she earned the Spirits' gratitude when she helped you, Lucy. In return for what she's done, he wants to offer a favor of any sorts…"

Lucy's jaw dropped. "Holy hell," she breathed. "That's-"

"A huge deal for dealing a rather nasty blow to one of our old enemies from a couple thousand years ago," Loke mused with a grin. He glanced at Natsu again. "Could ya tell her about it when she shows up again? Aquarius will want to hear that Lucy's alright, she was so worried that she nearly drowned Scorpio when she caught him chatting with Virgo…"

"Tell her I'll summon her soon," Lucy promised, and then bid her Spirit farewell before leaning into Natsu. He didn't hesitate to throw an arm around her shoulders, tucking her safely against him.

"Let's party!" Elfman roared, and the guild screamed its agreement. Even Lamia Scale and Meredy cheered in excitement at the prospect of partying with Fairy Tail. Jellal only smiled softly at the sight, amused by what he was witnessing. Yukino trotted over to say hello to Lucy, giving her a hug when she pulled away from Natsu.

"Rhith-sama has earned herself a lot of happy followers," she mused with a giggle, her soft brown eyes warm. "I don't think Sting-sama's left her alone for more than two seconds."

"It must be the fairy blood," Natsu muttered. When Lucy looked confused, he explained, "The dragon slayers all smell something weird from Rhith. Gajeel's the only one who wants to kill her over it, but Sting's...uh…"

"It's ridiculous," Rogue gritted out as he came over. "He won't do what needs to be done because he's too busy trying to flatter her with stupid comments." As if to prove Natsu's statement, however, he added, "Keeps her safe, I suppose…"

Lucy glanced curiously at her partner. "So if Gajeel hates her and Sting's, uh, attracted to her, what do you think of her?"

Natsu responded seriously. "I'd like to be best friends with her. I want her to join our guild. Sting would kick my ass though, especially since she got the emblem for Sabertooth, but I would like it if she was."

"Huh," the blonde mused, "Interesting."

"Very," Rogue agreed. "They did mention that the dragons and fairies worked together in that war your Spirit mentioned. Perhaps it has to do with that? Instincts that the dragons passed onto us when lending us their magic?"

"Maybe," Yukino agreed, and then smiled softly when a cheer rose up over Cana hauling out some of the best whisky that the guild had. "The guilds are glad that you're back, Lucy-chan. And so are we. We were so worried when we heard that you were missing...Natsu-sama apparently didn't sleep very well according to Happy."

Natsu flushed when the celestial mages giggled, and Lucy only grabbed his arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm glad you guys came and helped me," she said softly, her eyes misted over with happy tears. "It was lonely where I thought I was...it was nice, because it had been particularly loud the day before, but then it didn't end, and-" She cut off, shaking her head. "I wanted to go home, and I wanted to find everyone, but I was so tired most of the time…"

Natsu simply reassured her by ruffling her hair and then shouting for Gray to move so that he could get some beer of his own. Trusting Yukino and Rogue to watch over her, he slid away, shoving his teammate playfully in an attempt to start a brawl as he tried to get to the bar past all of the other swarming people, but Gray was in too much of a good mood to try and return it, simply smirking at him and taunting, "You sure you can handle beer, Natsu?"

"Screw beer," Natsu retorted. "I want the fire whisky."

Gray smirked, jabbing a thumb at himself. "You, me, drinking contest. Now."

" _Done_ ," he agreed eagerly, and then bellowed, releasing a gust of flame so people moved. "Mira, give us a barrel or two of fire whiskey! We wanna do a drinking contest!"

"I wanna join," Cana said, but both men immediately turned her down, knowing that neither of them could beat her.

Just as Natsu reached for the barrel that a laughing Mirajane sent their way, the door to Makarov's office flew open and a grim looking Rhith stepped out, followed closely by Sting and Makarov himself. They all paused, the happy partying dying down as they turned to look at them, and Natsu abandoned his drinking to return to Lucy's side.

He could tell that the look in Rhith's eyes meant nothing good, and he met her gaze cautiously when she searched him out and gave a weak smile.

Rhith cleared her throat more so for herself than to catch anyone's attention.

"I was confronted on my way here," she said carefully, "By an illusion. They're coming tomorrow. In case you haven't heard, I'm half-fairy myself. In case you were thinking of killing me, too, I didn't know for certain until recently. I didn't know at all until I came to help. The Council won't help, nor will most of the other guilds. We're on our own in this war."

She was met by silence.

And then Gajeel said irritably from his dark corner, "You mean we're gonna be on our own to fight against someone who cares only for killing you. I say we just give you to them. Be hell of a lot easier and less damaging."

" _Gajeel_ ," Makarov bit out, furious, and Rhith gave a small smile as she grabbed Sting's arm to keep him from lunging forward with murderous intent. She calmly met his crimson gaze, and Natsu gritted his teeth furiously at the suggestion.

Rhith had risked her life - given her life - to help them get Lucy back, and Gajeel wanted to just...kill her? What kind of repayment was that?!

"Actually, they want to rip the magic from me," she clarified. "I twisted them. But I doubt they'd let me just walk free without magic, so...yeah. I'm not saying you have to fight, Redfox-san. Do whatever you want. Feel free to sit out." She released Sting, and spread her arms out. "I'm not going to ask anyone to die. I don't want anyone to go and fight, actually, I'm fine with walking out of here and never coming back if it means no one gets hurt."

"Hey!" Cana cut in, surprising them all. Rhith's burgundy eyes darted to Cana. Her own were annoyed, her arms crossed and her beer on the bar beside her. "You got our Lucy back, what the hell makes you think that Fairy Tail won't return the favor?"

"Sabertooth's in, too," Yukino agreed smoothly, exchanging a look with Rufus and Orga, who was watching Sting with a bewildered look. "Sting-sama agrees, of course, I don't think it's necessary that we have to ask him."

Sting scowled, annoyed by this, and Frosch and Lector cheered. Frosch came scampering over to crawl up into her arms, his friend close behind. Rhith swept them up with a gentle smile, hugging them tightly. "We like you, Rhith-sama," Frosch explained, and Lector cheered his agreement.

"Lamia Scale," Lyon mused, "Offered its assistance the second we came out here." Chelia nodded firmly at that, and Meredy smiled brilliantly, as if that was her answer on the matter. Jellal rolled his eyes at her cheerful attitude about everything and quietly said his agreement as Erza came to stand beside him, her dark eyes fierce.

"Allow us," Makarov told Rhith, "To help you when you've helped us so much. We've fought dragons, twice now. And survived. If we cannot help against fairies, then how can we call ourselves Fairy Tail?"

Natsu simply tilted his head back. Lucy, knowing him better than he knew himself, shoved Yukino out of the way just a second before he let loose a massive explosion of flames towards the ceiling, not letting them burn anyone or anything. His answer was recognized by his guild, whose magic and cheers filled the air. The fire was soon replaced by his personal cry, a sound that only dragon slayers could make. His own roar, something he'd been proud of since Igneel had taught him how.

Wendy joined in with a screaming trill, bouncing up and down with sparkling eyes, and an amused Rogue exchanged a look with Sting before both joined in, their cries just as loud. Only Gajeel didn't join in, glaring irritably at Rhith.

When he was done, he grinned at Rhith, onyx eyes firm.

She supported the emblem of Sabertooth now, but she was still his nakama.

And nakama protected each other.

Natsu silently vowed that he'd make damn sure that Rhith Vila walked out of this alive.

Screw whatever the fairies and Gajeel said.

* * *

 _The war's about to start, eh? Gajeel's still not being pleasant, but at least everyone's back and on their feet!_

 _To the 0bservanc3, your second theory, about the "stay away vibe" is close. Fairies in general (in this fanfic anyways) have twisted their magic to create a sort of aura around the person who possesses fairy blood that helps repel what the fairies consider dangerous._

 _Thanks to reviewers (Ancient Glory, LePengwen, sassykitten1701, The 0bservanc3, CrystalVixen93, MaybeALittleBroken, PinkFireandGOldenStars, summercharizard, and Otaku-neesan!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	13. Hijacked

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

Rhith couldn't help but laugh as she watched the commotion around her. Her petite form was seated on top of the bar so that she could see everything, and she was more than fine with the fact that Frosch was in her lap. Lector sat at her side, leaning against her with a purr, and Gajeel was giving his own cat looks of horror as he dozed at her other side.

She stroked Pantherlily's head, gently caressing his fur, and he purred contently. She adored all of the cats. They were all so cute and precious! Particularly Lector and Frosch.

A roar of triumph filled the air as Elfman Strauss, Mirajane's brother, passed out drunk, hitting the ground drunk. Natsu threw his hands in the air, giggling drunkenly, and then smacked his friendly rival's hand in a high-five. Gray grinned back at him, and then downed another glass.

"Forty for Gray!" Erza announced.

"Thirty seven for Lyon!" Meredy added in with a flirty giggle when he scrambled to catch up.

"What's Gajeel at, Levy?" Cana shouted.

Levy added up quickly, and then called back, "Sixty three!"

"Sixty two!" Lucy added in, while Yukino echoed her, peering at how many Orga had had to drink. Lucy helped her add up Sting's, then, and then grinned. "Sixty one over here!"

Rhith giggled when Sting cheered happily and bellowed, "I'mma kick all of your asses!"

"Like to see ya try," Natsu slurred back, glaring playfully before reaching for another glass.

"You're all screwed!" Cana screeched, tipping her barrel back and nearly inhaling half of the alcohol.

"This is mental," Rhith whispered to Frosch, who giggled and told her that a rather irritable Rogue had refused to take part in what was going on. "Oh, good for him. I don't envy seeing Eucliffe-san after all of this is over. I might leave early because of - oh. Hello, Mavis-sama."

The ghost had come trotting into view, slipping expertly through people who simply let her pass, smiling. "Rhith Vila," she hummed. "You said that you were half-fairy?" Her emerald eyes sparkled excitedly.

Knowing of Mavis' reputation now, she giggled and simply hugged Frosch to silence him when he looked up at her questioningly. "Yeah. But I don't think it's a good thing, you know? I wish I wasn't."

"Well, if you weren't, I wouldn't be here." Both paused to look over when Lucy Heartfilia came over, Happy cuddled in her arms. Happy squirmed to join the other three Exceeds in her arms, and Lucy stared at her in shock.

Rhith shrugged, smirking as she patted Happy's head. "I like them."

"Fro likes you, too," Fro purred, cuddling closer and glaring at Happy when he made a happy mewl.

Lucy giggled at the cats, and then turned back to Rhith with a look of gratitude. "Natsu told me about what you did, and I never got to say… Thank you, Vila-san-"

"Rhith. I'm Rhith."

Lucy smiled back. "Rhith. Thank you for coming to save me from that other place. Loke - Leo - wanted me to tell you that you've earned yourself a favor from the stars for helping me. The Spirit King was impressed, apparently. If you ever need something, let Yukino or I know, and we'll summon a Spirit to get you what you need."

Rhith stared at her in shock, stunned by this information. And then she shook her head, flushing. "That's...wow," she murmured, "I can't believe this...that's a huge honor. I don't know much about Celestial Spirits, but I know that not just anyone gets that kind of offer…"

"Nope," Lucy said cheerfully, smiling brightly. "Loke was really grateful for what you did and suggested it. So...thank you again, Rhith. I don't think it would have ended up with us having at least a chance without you. I heard you were training everyone against illusions and such...would you help me in the morning? I feel like I'm at a disadvantage and I don't like it."

"Sure thing," Rhith promised. "But we'll have to get up early. I'm staying at the same inn as the drunk idiot over there," she nodded towards Sting, who was pumping a fist in the air out of triumph. "And I don't want to be around when he tries to make me pity him. Meet you here at five in the morning?"

"Got it," Lucy giggled, and then groaned, darting away. "Natsu, get off of the table - don't you _dare_ burn anything-"

Rhith stroked Frosch's head affectionately.

Mavis smiled kindly at her and then went to wander among Fairy Tail and others.

And just for that evening, life was good.

* * *

"I don't understand why your partner had to put me in charge of getting you to your guys' room."

"'Cause he knows it's what I've always dreamed of," slurred a very drunk Sting as he grinned cheekily at her. Rhith groaned and buried her face in her hands, trying to ignore his attempts at drunk flattery - because they were even worse than when he wasn't intoxicated.

"I think you need to shut up and focus on walking straight," Rhith told him, a demand that he took seriously and struggled to do. Thanking the heavens that he'd actually been stupid enough to do just that, Rhith tapped her lip thoughtfully.

"You're like some cute little fairy," Sting teased, wiggling his fingers at her in a weird way. She rolled her eyes and continued with what she'd been doing: walking. He stumbled, but caught himself, and she waited patiently for him to catch his balance again. He seemed to mull this over for a few seconds, and then corrected himself. "A hot little fairy chic thing."

"I don't know whether to be insulted or flattered," she said sarcastically, and then glared when he cackled and leaned heavily on her, an arm thrown around her shoulders.

She could smell the alcohol on his breath as he mumbled in her ear, "More than flattered?"

"Not even close," she muttered back, and then simply let him lean on her despite the fact that her legs shook beneath the effort, because honestly? She was _not_ made for this. At promptly five foot even and just barely a hundred pounds, her slim form was not made for carrying what felt like a ton of pure muscle.

"Eucliffe-san," she groaned finally, "Get off, you're heavy!"

He merely leaned even more on her, nearly tipping her over. " _Only_ ," he purred, "If you call me by my first name, 'cause I don't like that you use my last when you call everyone else by their name even though _I_ was the first to tell you to not call me by my last name."

She snorted, impressed that the drunk man was capable of forming such a long sentence. "Fine. Sting. Get the hell off. You're crushing me, and I'd rather not end up taking a dunk in the canal at this time of night, alright?"

"Nah," he purred, rubbing his cheek cheerfully against hers. His blond hair tickled her temple, skin warm against hers. His arm shifted to wrap around her waist as he finally straightened, simply tucking her against his side. She groaned in frustration, vowing to kill Rogue.

At least he was a - ridiculously - happy drunk. He could have been worse than simply flirty as can be. She preferred this to the groping bastards at the taverns - not that they'd ever come near her. What sane person would? She was apparently half fairy after all…

Her thoughts took a dark turn, and her lips pressed together in a grimace. Did she seriously deserve the help that Fairy Tail, Sabertooth, Lamia Scale, and Meredy and Jellal were offering? She hadn't done all that much. Of course, technically she'd died for Lucy Heartfilia, but that didn't earn her a favor from the Spirits or their complete and total protection.

The inn had just come into view when his fingers dug into her hip and his slurring voice demanded, "I don't like your face. Somethin' off about it. What are ya thinking."

"Mm, that nosy people should mind their own business," she retorted, burgundy eyes flashing, but he suddenly used his other hand to grab her cheeks, puffing her lips out like a fish. She made a sound of protest and her simply poked her nose after releasing her hip, trapping her there.

"You," he mumbled, "Are lyin' to me, Rhith-chan." He cracked a grin, tapping his nose.

"Because you're a freak," she barely managed to get out, twisting and squirming until she got away from his touch. He followed her few steps forward though, not daring to let her get too far away. "Drop it, let's get you to your room...Lector's gonna be worried sick…"

"Don't want Lector," he whined as she carefully led him to the building, where she stopped to open the door and encourage him to enter the building. Those that were working that early in the morning gave them dirty looks as she shushed him and coaxed him towards the stairs. "Wanna sleep with you."

"...I'm _not_ going to take that in the context that you probably mean, so I'm going to let you sleep on the floor so we don't wake anyone up. Okay?"

"Yes!" he said loudly, cheering, and she shushed him again pleadingly. _Please don't wake anyone up!_ He only giggled quietly and repeated in a loud whisper. "Kay!"

Rhith dug in her pocket for the key to her room, only to swear quietly and remember that she didn't have it anymore. It had been in her previous clothes' pockets, and who the hell knew where they were!? She held out her palm and an illusion appeared in it, flickering and weak. She frowned; she still hadn't regained all of her magic.

Sting looked at it like it was the craziest thing he'd ever seen. "Whoa."

"I know," she said in mock astonishment and then used it to unlock the door before the illusion failed. It went away the second the door clicked open, and Rhith pushed it open, relieved to see her belongings still in tact after two weeks. She eyed what she had as Sting shuffled in after her, curious.

"Here," she said after a moment, tossing a pillow and blanket towards the small couch. "You're a hell of a lot bigger than me, so you can have the bed. I'll take the couch since I'll fit. So take off your shoes - and that does _not_ mean to strip," she warned when he grinned broadly and reached for the button of his pants. He stopped and mumbled under his breath, removing his shoes. He was forced to unstrap the strange devices on either side of his hip that held them up and yank them off with a bit of force, and Rhith took advantage of the situation by grabbing some comfortable clothes and slipping into the bathroom.

She rushed to change, not trusting the drunk Sting alone for too long. She shed her clothes and tugged on a pair of sweatpants as well as a tank top before shuffling out, her burgundy eyes seeking Sting out immediately.

It took her no time to find him; she just followed the sound of snoring.

He was already passed out on the bed, snoring away. He'd cuddled underneath her blankets, his vest and shirt tossed away so that he could sleep without a shirt on, but she was grateful that his pants had been left on, because that was about as far as she wanted to see for the time being.

Not really, but there wasn't any time to have that kind of fun, so she made sure that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

She stood there in the moonlight that streamed in through the window, studying the couch before hopping onto it and curling up. She made herself as comfortable as she could, the couch not exactly pleasant to lay on when it belonged to a motel who didn't care much for comfort.

Her burgundy eyes slid shut as she prepared herself to sleep, a quiet hum in the back of her throat as exhaustion swept through her.

Dying and coming back to life was tiring,apparently.

She was just beginning to doze off when she hears sleepy mumbles and movement.

She was snapped back into awareness when she blearily blinked her eyes open and discovered a tired and hopeful pair of Exceeds in front of her face, their gazes hopeful. "Rogue let us in," Lector whispered. "We wanted to sleep with you and he wanted to look for Sting-kun. Can we?"

"Please, Rhith-sama?" Frosch said hopefully.

Rhith chuckled softly and struggled to make room for them. Then she used one arm to pull them up, one at a time. "Fine, but be careful. I kick." She smiled broadly when Frosch squirmed to fit beneath her chin and curled up against her chest while Lector simply became a happy ball of fur at the base of her neck, purring loudly for everyone to hear.

From where Rogue was watching in the doorway, making sure everyone was settled before returning to his room, he shook his head. An amused snort escaped him as a rather loud snore left Sting's area of the room, a happy slurred word escaping his lips.

"Idiots," was all he said before leaving them to sleep, closing the door behind him.

* * *

The next morning found Rhith up bright and early. The sun was just beginning to rise when she silently closed the bathroom door behind her, fully clothed with her silver hair adjusted carefully. Her new white Sabertooth emblem shown off by a piece of clothing that cut off just beneath her ribs, she stretched her arms above her head and paused to glance at Frosch and Lector, who were sleeping soundly on the couch, and Sting, who had yet to wake up and had somehow taken over almost every inch of the bed she'd let him sleep in.

"Moron," she said softly and then grabbed her bag. She slid out the door and then hurried down the hall, eager to get to where she needed to be so that she could help Lucy while she could.

She adjusted the strap of her bag as she left the building, pulling her jacket closer around her. She hummed to herself as she walked briskly down the street, her heart pounding every time something moved in the shadows. The day had come that the fairies had decided that they were coming, and she was scared. They could show up at any second; who knew when they'd make their appearance!

When she got to Fairy Tail's guildhall, she noted that it had yet to be prepared for the day. No one else was around, the streets still empty and filled with the lights of the street - until footsteps filled her ears.

"Rhith!"

Rhith turned her head to find Lucy jogging down the street with a smile on her face, her blonde hair pulled into a ponytail that swung behind her. She slowed to a halt beside her, panting softly for breath. "Sorry," she wheezed, "I left Natsu back at my place. I thought it'd be smart to leave him out of the training. He gets ridiculous sometimes and would probably interrupt whenever I tried something."

"Good idea," Rhith praised. She scowled. "Rogue-san made me take Eucliffe-san back. Drunken bastard's still passed out in my bed. Made me sleep on the couch with two cats."

Lucy laughed softly, and then planted her hands on her hips. "Sounds like Sting. I appreciated the party last night, but I don't think it was the best time for it. Luckily, Mira has a few tricks up her sleeve. She's good at helping people with hangovers."

"I'd hope so after your guild's party." Rhith popped her knuckles. "Alright, Lucy. Let's get a move on. We don't have all day this time, so we're going to have to do a crash course."

Lucy beamed. "I got the key from Mira last night, so…" She dug in her pocket and withdrew it, quickly unlocking the door. As Lucy shut it behind them and went to work on turning lights on and checking everything that needed to be checked, Rhith used her illusions to move tables and chairs aside. Her magic was at top condition, she was happy to realize.

"Okay, Lucy," Rhith said when they were ready. "Got your keys?" Lucy nodded, and Rhith winked before crossing her arms. "First things first: if you believe an illusion is real, then it will become real. That's how Natsu was fooled by the illusion of you. That's how I kicked Eucliffe-san's ass."

"Right," Lucy muttered, her keys in hand. "Got it."

"Now. Let's see how you do against…" Rhith lifted a hand, summoning her magic to do as she commanded. A figure took form between them. "Wendy-chan." A young and innocent looking girl, but Rhith knew she was stronger than she appeared. Lucy looked a bit lost when the Wendy in front of her smiled and waved.

Usually, Rhith would have started out with something weaker, but as she'd told Lucy: it was a crash course.

"I'm fighting Wendy?" Lucy said, bewildered.

"Until you recognize what she truly is, yes." Without another word, Wendy was inhaling and then unleashing a nasty blast of air. It struck the wall opposite of them, not leaving an inch of damage, but Lucy instinctively snatched up her keys. "Open!" she mumbled, "Gate of the Lion! Leo!"

Loke appeared and when he did, he looked anything but concerned. "Lucy," he said patiently. "You do realize that it's not going to do you any good to summon me."

"Why not?" she demanded.

"Recognize what she truly is, like Vila-san instructed," he explained. "She's an illusion and nothing more, she's not actually going to hurt you. She's not real. Watch her blinking, see the way she flurries it? Or how jerkily she moves and breathes?"

And just like that, Wendy was gone.

"Good job," Rhith praised, clapping her fingerless-gloved hands. Burgundy eyes glimmered playfully. "Impressive. Let's try this-"

She was cut off by the doors swinging open. They all paused to see Mirajane sliding into the room with a thoughtful look on her face. She blinked, looking at them, and then smiled. "Oh, I thought it might be you guys...don't mind me, I'll just be in the back making some breakfast for when people start arriving. You two want anything to eat?"

"Some toast would be great," Rhith said eagerly.

"Tea, if that's alright," Lucy agreed, her dark eyes watching.

As Mira became orbs of light.

Rhith grinned. "Good job," she repeated, "I'm impressed, I thought you'd be fooled by that one."

"You're good," Lucy admitted, shaking her head. "And with what the fairies did-"

"They're better," Loke agreed. Shaded eyes glanced at Lucy for a moment, making sure she was alright, and Rhith used the moment to her advantage to try and surprise them.

Lucy yelped as her feet went out from under her. She hit the ground with a harsh thud, swearing softly and then squealing as the dragon-like creature that she'd used against the others to train opened its jaws to fire a beam at her.

She gasped and dove below, her eyes glaring at it, and Rhith was startled when it closed its mouth without her command. "What?" she mumbled a second before it turned on her. When the beam was fired at her, she screeched and dove to the ground. Rhith winced as her hair was skimmed, filling the air with the stench of burning. Realizing that something was wrong, Loke shoved Lucy to the ground behind a tipped table and crouched protectively over her.

"What the hell?" Rhith breathed as its tail waved behind it, its body dropping so that it was on all four limbs. She tried to force it away, and it only creaked its jaws closed.

"...I've been hijacked," she realized and then created a wall before her when it fired. The wall shattered, but it gave her enough time to dive behind some tables, her heart pounding.

"Rhith-" Lucy began but Loke silenced her, and her voice was muffled.

Rhith pressed her back to the table, panting softly, mind racing.

 _Fairies._

It was the only explanation, and it frightened her.

How had they gotten here in the span of an instant and taken over her illusion?

The creature's jaws creaked as it opened its mouth and then _screamed_ , the sound hurting their ears. Rhith gritted her teeth against the pain and then blinked wildly at the flash of light that suddenly came from above her hiding place. Lucy called out Loke's name, telling the illusion mage that he'd done something, and then there was silence.

Rhith peeked over the edge.

Loke stood in the center of the silent room, panting for air. His suit was askew and singed, holes dotting it, and he straightened after a moment, tightening his tie. Shaded eyes darted over to where Lucy was hidden. "Lucy?"

"I'm okay," she mumbled, coming out of hiding. "What was that?"

Rhith hopped over, pressing her fingers to her temples. "Fairies. They've started hijacking my illusions. If you're a strong enough illusion mage, you can do that. I think they're about to start their invasion, or whatever the hell they're doing. Do you have a way to call everyone?"

"Luce!"

A flaming form exploded through the doors, panicked, and Lucy snorted, jerking her thumb at it. "Yeah, we've got Natsu. Give me a second." She hustled over to Natsu, smiling reassuringly. "Natsu, I'm fine…"

As the two spoke with one another, Rhith shoved a hand through her short hair and grumbled, "Great. So I'm useless. My magic won't work...I guess I'll be attempting to beat the fairies up with my measly fists." She glared at her small hands, doubting that they'd be much good.

Loke shook his head. "Nonsense. You'll just have to figure out how to work your magic around them. If we help and convince ourselves that they're real, will it help you?"

"Not if they're hijacking the illusions." Rhith bit the inside of her lip in thought. "There won't be much I can do."

"You can help me," a soft voice interrupted, and both jumped, glancing at Mavis, who had appeared beside them without warning. "Strategy is just as important as the battlefield." Her emerald eyes were dark, anxious. "With your ability to calculate alongside mine, we should be able to handle many things."

"Works for me." Looking pleased with this development, Rhith clapped her hands together with a thoughtful look. "I'm going to run and grab Sabertooth. I'm sure that Jellal-san and Meredy-san will be able to find Lamia Scale's members and return."

"Be careful," Loke warned. "You don't know where they'll appear."

"I know. Thanks for the concern, Loke-san," she said with a smile. She turned and darted towards the door, calling a greeting to the annoyed Natsu, who was lightly shaking his partner by the shoulders to show his irritation with her for running off without warning him. Natsu paused to return it, and then went right back to scolding Lucy.

Rhith rushed through the barely lit streets of Magnolia, swearing under her breath. People had begun to come out, and a few glared her way as she passed them. Not that she cared at the moment. There were more important things than whether or not the locals liked her.

She arrived at the inn in under ten minutes and bolted through the doors, storming towards where her room was. Without hesitation, she created a key in her hand, unlocked it, and then threw it open, immediately demanding, "Hey, Eucliffe-san, time to get up…"

She trailed off.

No one was in there.

She turned on her heel and was filled with shock.

She was out in the streets again, except this time, Magnolia's streets were different.

This time, they ran red with the blood that spilled from the bodies littered around her.

* * *

 _And so it begins. Had a blast writing drunk Sting, honestly._

 _To QuestionablyCapableGhoul, who questioned whether the god slayers/devil slayers would react like the dragon slayers to Rhith's fairy blood. Nope. They wouldn't, as there were no gods or demons involved in the war I've created. Could have mentioned that, I suppose, eh? The fairies sided with the dragons in the war against the Spirits (and several other creatures), and to help protect themselves, they used magic to twist it so that dragons felt the need to protect them. This was passed on to the dragon slayers and Rhith. The dragon slayers received it through the magic they were taught and Rhith threw the blood of fairies in her veins. :)_

 _Thanks to reviewers (The 0bservanc3, MaybeALittleBroken, LePengwen, QuestionablyCapableGhoul, AncientGlory, CrystalVixen93, PinkFireandGoldenStars, Treblemkr, Otaku-neesan, Aqua King, and NaLu and InuKag!) as well as those who favorited and followed._


	14. What's Real and What's Not

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

Lucy had been amused when Natsu had appeared, panicked.

That amusement was gone now, replaced with the shock that she felt as she studied the emptied streets with horror. They'd gone out to help grab everyone, only to realize that something had changed. Lucy gripped Natsu's hand tightly with her own, their fingers twined. Relieved that she was beside him rather than off and going who the hell knew where, Natsu tugged her after him, bolting down the street.

"Natsu," she gasped, glancing back at Loke, who simply smiled grimly returned to his own home. "What's going on?"

Natsu stopped beside a nastily wounded body, shaking her hand loose so that he could kneel beside it and study it. It was a civilian, she recognized with a frown, watching as he moved on to the next body. They'd been killed in a brutal way, several wounds covering their flesh and their throats had been slit.

"Natsu, don't touch them," Lucy protested, her hands clasped over her mouth.

"They're not real," he realized aloud and then watched as the illusion melted away. The bodies were gone, but the streets were still empty. Natsu glanced through the windows of a nearby house and saw a woman frozen there, not moving, in the middle of pulling a jacket on.

"What's going on?" Lucy said anxiously.

"The fairies, probably," Natsu muttered, and then grabbed her arm, hauling her towards where he knew Fairy Hills to be. "S'what happened when you got taken, according to Gramps. So we're gonna go find Erza. She'll be good to have."

Lucy couldn't help but agree with him. Erza was always a great person to have around in a fight like this.

She let Natsu tow her through Magnolia, her lips pressed together. The dragon slayer's eyes were fierce, darting this way and that, ready to leap into action at a moment's notice. "Do you think that Rhith will be okay?" Lucy asked suddenly, catching his attention.

He flashed her a grin. "She'll be fine. She's strong. Right? 'Sides, she'll have Sting and Rogue with her. Yukino, Rufus, and Orga, too, as well as the cats."

Lucy paused at that thought and she yanked free of him, her eyes wide with a slight nervousness as she stared at him. "Natsu...where's Happy?" she asked slowly. "He was there when I left this morning." When he didn't respond, she whispered, "You're not Natsu."

Natsu went still, and Lucy licked her lips, her heart pounding in her chest as she shoved her hand into her pocket for her keys. And then he turned to face her, a wicked grin on his face. "You're pretty damn good for someone who only had a few minutes of training," he drawled, onyx eyes flashing as flames crept along his arms.

She was just beginning to wrap her fingers around Capricorn's key when she heard a cry of, "Lucy! Get down!"

She didn't question it, tucking her head as a blast of flames came screaming over her head. The illusion - who hadn't disappeared, Lucy realized with panic - screamed in pain and shot backwards, trying to put the flames out as Natsu's appearance melted away.

The true Natsu came to stand at her side with a dark look in his angry eyes. Happy dropped to rest atop of her head, purring reassuringly. "We're real," he promised with a sincerity that only Happy could show.

"Oh, thank the heavens," Lucy moaned in relief, pressing her hand briefly into Natsu's in a sign of relief. He returned it in the form of a gentle touch to her cheek. She snatched her keys out of her pocket after that, summoning a random Spirit in silence, and Virgo appeared beside her, a serious look on her face.

The fake Natsu had been replaced by one of the cruelest yet most handsome looking man that Lucy had ever seen. His dark eyes glittered with malice as he sneered at them, the tail that came from behind swirling around to show its pointed tip. "Pathetic."

"Says the one who's currently on fire," Natsu growled back.

The fairy swiped the flame away with a hiss, and he cackled darkly in response to its irritation.

This would be an interesting fight, the dragon slayer decided as he readied himself for fighting. Happy would keep Lucy safe, and he'd be fighting - as he was used to - alongside Virgo against an enemy they'd never before faced.

Natsu regretted not agreeing with the safe word plan suddenly when the fairy flicked its fingers and a strange warrior-like creature stepped into view, armor clinking. He willed it away, not believing in it, but Virgo's confusion and Happy's amazement was enough to keep it there.

Swearing, he muttered, "She didn't tell us what to do about that."

"No," Lucy agreed faintly. "She didn't."

She'd had moments of training compared to Natsu, but she knew better.

"It's an illusion, Virgo, ignore it! It isn't real!" she commanded, and Natsu told Happy the same thing after a moment. But before they could even begin focusing on doing so, the warrior was after them, swinging a sword that rivaled some of Erza's.

Natsu jumped out of the way, wincing when the sword nicked his arm. The man laughed, eyes glittering eagerly. When he spoke, his voice held a gentle lilt that was similar to the one in Rhith's voice, yet his words were harsh. "You protect the half-creature despite what she is and what we've done to you? Your guild is pathetic. It should not be named after our kind. How do you expect to defeat fairies when we are the closest to gods?"

"We beat dragons," Natsu snarled back, "And they're a hell of a lot more dangerous than something like you."

"Our allies back in the war," he replied with a smug look. "Are dead. When the fairies are offered a good deal, then we accept it. And we were offered a good deal. So we took it."

There was a moment of silence.

And then Natsu gave a bellow of rage, throwing himself at the enemy with a blast of flames, his onyx eyes full of anger. Virgo suddenly surged from beneath the ground while the fairy was distracted and the fairy snarled in surprise as he was suddenly plunged into the earth.

Moments later, the earth spit him back out unconscious, and the warrior dissolved into glowing red orbs that drifted into the air. Natsu watched warily when the same orbs suddenly left the unconscious man's lips and did the same.

Seconds later, there was a tinge of death on the air.

"Thanks Virgo," Lucy told her Spirit as she sent her back to her own world, determined to preserve her strength until it was needed. She reached up and pulled Happy into her arms, hugging him.

Natsu turned to her with a grim look.

So it was that kind of war.

They were to fight to the death, whether they wanted to or not.

"Come on, Luce," he muttered, touching his forehead to hers before dragging her forwards with a look of determination. "Let's go make sure everyone's okay."

* * *

It took nearly an hour of searching, and Natsu was in a near panic before they finally found someone.

"Meredy!"

Lucy sprinted forward, passing Natsu, but he shot a hand out to drag her back, eyeing the pink-haired girl warily. Shoving himself protectively in front of the blond, he said, "Maybe. Might not be, Luce."

Lucy clamped her mouth shut and flushed, realizing she could have walked right into the trap that had been set, but Meredy whirled around at her voice, eyes lighting up at the sight of them. "Lucy! Natsu!" Raising her voice, she called, "Jellal! Over here!"

She was soon joined by Jellal, whose dark eyes took them in with a suspicious look that only meant he was as wary as Natsu. Clearing his throat, he awkwardly questioned, realizing that it might not be the best question to ask, "What was the Tower of Heaven?"

Natsu relaxed, flashing a grin. "R-System," he answered. "Resurrection. Siegrain?"

"Myself." Jellal, too, relaxed, waving Meredy forward, and she sprang over to hug Lucy, demanding to know if they'd seen Juvia anywhere. Lucy only shook her head, biting her lip. Jellal approached Natsu and Happy, who'd been handed to him. "It's as if Magnolia's expanded," he said darkly. "We can't seem to get anywhere or find anyone. Has anyone heard from Sabertooth or Lamia Scale?"

Natsu shook his head. "Cana's call-cards aren't even working."

"They've isolated us from one another," Jellal said with a sigh, and then suddenly lifted a hand towards the sky. He uttered a word, and a spell exploded into the sky like a firework. Natsu's head snapped back to watch it, and then he glanced questioningly at Jellal. "A signal," he explained. "Erza and I were thinking that something like this might happen and agreed to do this if it did. I've sent one up three times now and you're the first we've come across."

"We have to find Rhith," Natsu decided. "I'm sure they're all going after her and letting the rest of us just wander."

Lucy, overhearing, looked at them anxiously. "She left to go get Sabertooth. That's the last I saw of her this morning."

"I see," Jellal muttered, "Do you know what inn they were staying in?"

"I do," Natsu said. "Walked her home once."

"Then let's head there," Meredy said, clearing her throat. "She can't have gotten too far. I doubt they'd leave her alone now that she's a member of their guild...can you not smell anything, Natsu?"

He shook his head. "Nothin'."

"Interesting," was all Jellal muttered.

Suddenly, there was a gunshot. They looked up instinctively, searching for the source, and Lucy tugged on Meredy's arm to get her attention as she pointed up to the sky, where there was a flare that exploded and suddenly curved into the shape of Fairy Tail's emblem.

"Not Erza, but an ally," Jellal decided, springing forward. The group of mages hurtled down the street after him, each racing as fast as they could. They rounded a corner - and then each promptly tripped, nearly falling on their faces when their feet slammed into something.

Meredy caught herself just barely and Happy beat his wings at the air to tug Lucy upright when Jellal crashed into her. Natsu actually managed to fall entirely, and yelped as he knocked his chin, biting his lip.

He didn't look exactly pleased about it as he climbed to his feet and glared at them all.

"Sorry," Lucy murmured, snatching up his hand and squeezing it as she knelt to inspect what they'd tripped over.

A second later, she gasped.

" _Cana_ ," the blonde breathed, checking the unconscious woman's pulse. She was relieved to discover that there was one. As Natsu knelt beside her and Meredy studied the situation anxiously, Jellal kept watch, eyes darting this way and that as he kept an eye out for any fairies. Lucy shifted the brunette's head into her lap, stroking her hair back with a distressed look as the sound of feet pounding on the cobbled streets filled their ears.

Natsu rose warily and Happy wrapped his tail around Lucy's wrist nervously, cuddling against her to rest while he could. He knew better than to waste his energy flying in crazy patterns like he wanted to. This battle would be a long one. And he needed to preserve his strength for when he was needed.

Jellal's cloak whipped behind him as he dove to dodge the attack that came at him. Natsu used his flames to blast himself out of the way and Meredy threw herself protectively over Lucy and Cana. "We need to get her out of the way," she urged.

"Right," Lucy muttered as another enemy - this time a woman with dark laughter in her glittering eyes - stood firm against Jellal's magic. He and Natsu began to fight against her, struggling to overcome her illusions that suddenly flared up. Dogs, monsters, walls, bullets, everything was thrown their way, and Natsu couldn't seem to figure them out fast enough.

The crack of another gunshot filled the air, this time, much closer. Lucy's head snapped up just in time for a familiar voice to shout, "Lucy, Meredy, get down!"

Meredy pushed herself and the blonde out of the way as a cannon was blasted over them. Jellal yanked his arm out of the way and Natsu didn't blink when the cannonball raced past his head.

It hit the woman with the disgusting sound of snapping bones, and she went down in a crumpled heap, not rising again.

Bisca shouldered her weapon without an ounce of sympathy on her face. "Damn," she drawled, "I didn't get to ask where my husband and daughter were...they better be okay." She glanced over to Natsu. "You guys doing alright?"

"We're good," Natsu replied. "Cana's knocked out, but she's not dead. We're gonna head to the guildhall...are you coming with?"

She gave a curt nod. "I wanna check for my family and if they're not there, I'll head out."

"We'll go with if they aren't," Jellal promised. "Meredy and I, anyways. Natsu and Lucy can stay and protect the guildhall and anyone there. They'll need it if they're injured like Cana's been."

"No," Natsu argued. "I want to find Rhith."

"She does need to be found, she's the one they want," Lucy agreed.

"We'll look for her," Meredy reassured gently, touching Lucy's arm. "But someone _has_ to stay at the guildhall, Lucy-chan. We need someone to man the communications lacrima and see if you can maybe somehow send an announcement over the town or something similar."

"...we need Warren," Bisca cut in. "He's our telepathy mage."

"Warren would be more than useful," Lucy agreed, and then turned to Natsu. "Here's what we'll do. We'll get to the guildhall, take Cana with us, look for Alzack and Asuka there, and then if they're not, you can go with Jellal and Meredy and Bisca to look for them and Warren if he's not there either. If he is, he can send out a message, see if anyone can respond. This place...it's some kind of illusion we can't escape, though, so I don't know if he'll be able to."

Natsu gave a curt nod to show his agreement. "...yeah, okay," he muttered.

He crouched, offering to carry Cana, and Bisca and Jellal worked together to help him get her on his back. Once she was, he stood, his onyx eyes sharp. "Let's go," he growled, and Happy plopped down on his head.

"I couldn't see anything from above," the blue Exceed reported. "It's just like some kind of never ending place."

"Great," Natsu muttered. "Which way, little buddy?"

"That way," Happy replied, pointing towards the east.

The group set off, Lucy keeping close to her partner after taking Happy from the top of his head. He cuddled up against her chest, purring softly. Jellal strode ahead of everyone else, keeping an eye out for other people, whether they be allies or enemies.

"Don't worry, Lucy," Happy told her as they made their way through the strange streets. "I'm sure everyone else is okay."

"I'm hoping that all of the girls from Fairy Hills will be together," she admitted aloud. "Erza, Levy, Juvia, Wendy...I just hope Wendy's with someone else…"

"She has Charle," Natsu reminded her. "Charle wouldn't let anything happen to her."

"Charle's strong," Happy agreed, looking up at the blonde eyes wide. "She would never let Wendy get hurt. And Chelia should be around, shouldn't she?"

"There are a lot of people around who aren't usually here," Meredy added in as she paused to glance back at them. Her dark eyes sparkled as she watched Jellal lift his hand to the sky once more and fire off a signal. There was silence for a few moments.

And then a return signal, a shining symbol made of ice rising from the ground. It took on the shape of a mermaid and then turned into a the emblem of Fairy Tail.

"Lyon and Gray must be together," Bisca drawled, her eyes searching the ice structure before it shrank back down into the ground. The group headed towards it, and Lucy latched her fingers onto Natsu's sleeve so that she didn't lose him for even a second.

He shook her fingers off and instead twined them with his, not bothered by her need for comfort at all. His gaze was dark. He wouldn't let them touch Lucy, even if it killed him in the process.

"Hey!"

Their heads all turned around to look in the direction of the shout. Lucy had to bite back a laugh at the sight; it was kind of ridiculous, honestly. "Gray," she recognized faintly, and Lyon, too. Both were followed by - to Lucy's surprise - Pantherlily. Lily's tail flicked as he hovered beside them. "Lily? Why aren't you with-"

Lily cleared his throat awkwardly. "It wasn't exactly a good night to hang around the room that Gajeel and Levy were using. They chose a hell of a night to get together at long last."

"...oh." Lucy flushed red, and then whipped her head around when Cana's faint voice suddenly drawled out, "Aw, am I missin' out on some fun?"

"Cana!" Bisca stepped closer to check on her, eyes wide. She touched the bloody spot on the brunette's head with a frown. "How are you feeling, hon?"

"My head hurts," she admitted, and then squinted at the pink hair in her line of vision. "Hey, Natsu."

He snorted. "Hey, Cana."

She tugged on a lock thoughtfully and then noted the fact that he was gripping Lucy's hand tightly. "Hey, Lucy," she added, and then smiled gingerly at Happy, who was watching her with wide eyes. "Anyways. The hell's wrong with our town?"

"Fairies," was the blunt response she got from Lyon. A nasty gash was opened on his cheek, dripping blood down his chin. He touched it thoughtfully. "We came across a pair of them on our way here. They were torturing a child." His gaze darkened. "We didn't get there in time to save it, but we made sure to take out the fairies."

"I can't believe this," Gray said with a bitter laugh. "We thought fairies were some great and beautiful creatures and here they are trying to kill us all because we're helping someone."

"We should find Rhith-san," Lyon sighed, "She trained us for this, but even I'm having difficulties seeing through the illusions."

Natsu blinked. "It's really not that hard, guys. Just don't think anything is real. If they don't disappear, they're real."

Ignoring him, Jellal ushered them forward again. "Come, we must get back to the guildhall. I'm assuming most will try to get there to speak with the girl that we can't see."

"You know," Lucy said softly as they walked, her dark eyes darting to Gray when he fell into step beside her, making sure that the girl he saw as a sister was alright. "I don't get it. No one can see Mavis but those with the emblem...how does Rhith see her?"

Gray was thoughtful for a few moments before he shook his head, admitting, "I, err, got curious. Erza and I did some research. It turns out that the village that used to be on Tenrou - remember? There was one according to Mavis. Some people escaped the destruction. I don't know how, but they ended up in Hargeon and had families that lasted over generations."

"...are you telling me that you think Rhith is related to Mavis Vermillion, the Fairy Tactician?" Meredy demanded as they walked, shocked.

"It's possible," Gray said with a shrug. "It's the only reason we thought she could see Mavis, because not even illusion mages can see her on a regular basis, you know? If they shared blood - particularly with Rhith's fairy blood mixed in - then there you go."

"I think that he's right," Jellal admitted, sweeping his cloak behind him when there was a sound. A familiar building stood proudly above them not far away, clouds swirling around the top of it. Lightning suddenly struck and there was a bellow of rage and a scream of pain.

"Laxus," Natsu said wisely. He'd recognize the lightning instantly, of course. He'd experienced it enough to know when the lightning mage was around.

They all rushed towards the commotion to discover Laxus and his group fighting what appeared to be a small army away from the entrance of the guildhall. Laxus looked furious, and didn't hesitate to launch an attack when a small girl giggled and lashed out with a dagger, blood pouring from a nasty wound in her throat.

"Illusions," Natsu told himself; they weren't real.

But no one else was helping. So he dove past with Cana, dragging his partner with him when a man came flying at them, ready to kill. Gray blocked him with a sword of ice, gritting his teeth.

Lucy nearly tripped on her way inside, and strong hands caught her. Furious crimson eyes met dark brown, and Lucy breathed a groan of relief. "Gajeel," she said gratefully, straightening. He didn't answer, only grunted as he threw himself through the doors.

Mavis stood in the center of the messy guildhall, a few people gathered around her as she gave orders.

Natsu was relieved to discover that Rhith stood beside her. Her silver hair seemed uneven, as if it had been cut, and there was a scratch on her forehead, but she seemed fine other than that. Her burgundy eyes burned as she corrected a miscalculation that Mavis in return corrected. Together, they worked out a plan, and Natsu narrowed his eyes when he realized that Sabertooth wasn't there.

When she saw him, she gave a faint smile and broke away to give him a friendly greeting after he'd put Cana down for a frantic Wendy to look at. "Natsu, thank god, and Lucy!" She beamed at the blonde, and then ran a hand through her hair. "I couldn't find anyone and came back."

Lucy patted her shoulder comfortingly. "Some people are still finding their way through the town. Natsu's heading back out with Meredy and Jellal. With how many are here, I'm going with-"

"No," Natsu cut in. "Stay here."

"I'm not a kid," she argued, but Rhith interrupted, thoughtful.

"Here's what will happen. Lucy-san, you'll go with us. I'm heading out with Gray-san and Erza-san to find Sabertooth. Natsu-san, you and those two will take Wendy-chan and your cats and go find whoever you can. Warren-san said that his telepathy wasn't working," she added when Lucy opened her mouth. "Meredy-chan can use her magic to connect you two, can she not? So you both know that the other is safe."

"You won't let her get hurt?" Natsu met her gaze with a fierce look. "She'll be safe?"

Lucy rolled her eyes, but Rhith replied seriously, "I'll defend her with my life, Natsu, I promise. Come on, we're heading out as soon as I tell Gray-san. Makarov-san has yet to arrive, so Mavis-san is in charge." She grabbed Lucy's arm and pulled her away. Lucy bid Natsu a hasty farewell before they were separated.

"Rhith," Lucy protested, but Rhith ignored her until they were a decent space away. "Go with Gray-san and Erza-san like I said."

"You're not going?" Rhith cast her a look that gave the blonde her answer, and Lucy blurted, "But why?!"

"The damage that has been done...you have done nothing to deserve it," was all she said before she pushed Lucy at Erza. Erza caught her before she tripped and hit the ground, startled, and she ordered, "Watch her. She's going with you and your group."

"Of course." Erza flashed Lucy a warm look that Lucy didn't respond to, instead trying to grab Rhith's arm.

"You can't," she hissed so that only the illusion mage could hear her. "You'll get yourself killed."

"Good. Then they'll leave you alone." Rhith took a deep breath, and then touched Lucy's cheek with a look of affection. "I think we would have been friends, you and I." She smiled kindly, burgundy eyes gentle. "Goodbye, Lucy."

And then she was bolting full speed out the front doors, racing past the fighting Thunder Legion. She swerved around Bickslow, and then disappeared around a corner, leaving Lucy to stare after her in shock, ignoring the bracelet of pink that appeared on her wrist.

* * *

 _Things are certainly getting rough are they not? A more Lucy focused chapter, eh? But we'll be back to Rhith next chapter (I adore her so much)._

 _To The 0bservanc3, who questioned the illusions not disappearing, as well as the partying deal... The illusions aren't disappearing because more than one person are seeing them, as pointed out when Virgo is summoned. They're not seeing different things; they're all seeing one illusion (or more) and not all of them are able to see through it like Natsu can. On top of it, they're in the middle of fighting for their lives, which leaves them no time to focus on it. As for the partying, I also mentioned previously that Mira had her special wake up drink. They didn't expect the fairies to attack at five in the morning._

 _Thanks to reviewers (The 0bservanc3, LePengwen, CrystalVixen93, MaybeALittleBroken, NaLu and InuKag, sassykitten1701, Princessatj, and PinkFireandGoldenStars!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	15. Running

**. Not As It Seems .**

The streets were silent as Rhith darted this way and that through them, determined to find anyone who might need help. From what she'd seen so far, the fairies were cruel and heartless, unfreezing the people they'd trapped to toy with them.

She slid around a corner, as stealthy as anyone could be in such a situation - and nearly shrieked when a hand caught her by the wrist. She nearly panicked, illusions beginning to form around her - until a voice cried, "Rhith-sama! You found her, Rogue!"

"Fro-kun," she said faintly, feeling a mixture of relief and dread. "Rogue-san!"

Rogue's eyes were dark, blood smearing his chin from a split lip. "We're glad we found you."

Rhith squinted at him, seeing through any illusions, but was relieved that he wasn't one. "I went to get you guys earlier," she explained. "Lucy and I were practicing and an illusion got taken over and attacked. But when I got there, you guys were gone."

Frosch looked embarrassed, tail flicking. "Fro-kun saw you leave and went after, but got lost. Rogue had to come find me."

"Then the others?" Rhith glanced to the shadow mage, and he shook his head.

"They were sleeping when I left," he murmured, "Gone when I returned. Probably heading for the guildhall of Fairy Tail when it all started." He shifted back to study the area around them when a tingle raced through the air, making Rhith shudder. "I've been searching for them…" His gaze zeroed in on a giggling child, its eyes watching. "Since."

Shadows shifted and roiled around them, and Rhith plucked Frosch up with a wary look as the girl trotted out of hiding, her fingers doing strange maneuvers as her appearance faded. She was replaced by a child who was only a little older, with darker hair and sparkling eyes.

The child suddenly bowed, nose nearly touching her knees. "Hello," she said in words of greeting, "I am the daughter of one of the fairies of which you fight against, but I am not an enemy like you believe me to be. Some of us are against this...destruction, though it's only very few."

Rogue kept up a defensive stance, and Rhith studied her with sharp burgundy eyes. "Why should we trust that you're not pretending to be innocent so you can kill us?"

The girl lifted her head, curls spilling around her shoulders as eyes that matched Rhith's locked with hers. "Because," she said simply, "We're related by blood? Your mother is my mother. But I am older. Fairies...we don't age as quickly as you do." She flicked a tail that appeared behind her, the style of it matching the emblem of Fairy Tail. It faded away seconds later. "But I _am_ your elder sister."

Rhith squinted at her, and then burst into hysterical giggles, pressing her face against Frosch's head, her shoulders shaking with laughter. "You're funny," she choked out a moment later. "Like hell I'm going to believe any of you nut jobs. Rogue-san, come on, we need to find the rest of your guild and get them back to Fairy Tail's guildhall."

Rogue dropped his stance, studying the girl for a few moments, and then gave a curt nod. "Sting will be relieved when we find him," was all he said, waiting for Rhith to give the command to go.

But the girl's hand darted out to catch Rhith's arm before she could move, nails digging in so sharply that blood trickled down her arm. Rhith yanked away and Rogue shoved himself between them, aggressively shoving an arm out so that he stood protectively in front of the illusion mage, a sound akin to a growl spilling from deep within his chest. The girl glared at him. "I'm not lying," she insisted. "And I want to help. I want revenge for what they did to Mother."

"Well, I hate to break it to you," Rhith said, clutching her arm, "But we don't _want_ your help." She let Frosh fret over her tiny scratches, and simply gave the fairy dirty looks over Rogue's shoulder as he began to back up, ushering her away. The shadows slid around them in a storm of black, and he gave the fairy a glare before suddenly stepping down into Rhith's shadow like it was something he did every day.

And, Rhith guessed, it was.

He was a shadow mage, after all.

Rhith ignored the glare on her back as she darted down the cobble stoned street, feeling almost as if her body was heavier. She supposed that it might be just a side-effect of what Rogue was doing and chose not to say anything until Frosch suddenly spoke up.

"Fro hopes Lector-kun's okay…"

"I'm sure Lector-kun is fine, Fro-kun," she reassured gently, peering around a corner and then shooting around it when she thought she saw a glimmer of pale silver hair in the distance. _Yukino-san…?_

She grinned when she willed it away and nothing happened. "Yukino-san!" she shouted, and waved to catch the celestial mage's attention when she looked over, her eyes startled. She narrowed them suspiciously, reaching for a key, and Rhith didn't hesitate to hold Frosch above her head. "Look, Fro-kun! We're safe, I swear!"

Yukino relaxed, jogging over. "Rhith-sama," she greeted faintly. "Have you seen Rogue-sama or-"

"Here," Rogue said, rising from his hiding place. He smiled kindly as Yukino gave a relieved grin, and then turned to look in the direction she'd been heading. "I was going to go to the guildhall and check on Lucy…" she murmured.

"Lucy is fine," Rhith reassured. "I was just at the guildhall not even twenty minutes ago. She and a few other Fairy Tail mages were heading out to look for people-"

Rhith cut off a split second later when there was suddenly a flash of brilliant light that filled the sky, like a beacon shining high into the clouds. It was blinding - and a magic that Rogue recognized immediately, relief crossing his red eyes.

"Sting," Yukino murmured, hurrying off. Rhith wasn't far behind, Frosch clutched to her chest. The frog-dressed cat pressed into her neck, tail curved around her wrist as if it would help keep him close to her. Used to fighting alongside her comrades, Yukino ordered, "Rogue-sama, _go_."

"Watch him," he ordered Rhith, gesturing to the Exceed in her arms, and then became a shadow that was gone from view between one blink and the next.

"Come on, Rhith-sama," Yukino said, only to find Rhith slowing to a stop, her burgundy eyes gentle yet sad. "Rhith-sama?"

"Take Fro-kun," Rhith said quietly, kissing Frosch's head when he protested. She handed him over to the confused celestial mage. Yukino clutched him to her chest with a bewildered look in her dark eyes - a look that turned to shock when Rhith cleared her throat and told her what she was doing.

"I," she said quietly, "Am so, _so_ sorry for dragging you all into this. I didn't mean to do any of this. Good luck, Yukino-san." She bowed her head and then took off at a dead sprint in the opposite direction, to where she could feel the tug on her magic. On her soul.

To where she could feel the source of all of this wildness to be.

To where the one in charge of everything would regain the meaningless vengeance that they likely sought.

Rhith felt tears boil up in her eyes, despair filling her.

And she vowed to bring the fairies down, even if it killed her where she stood.

* * *

He ignored the fiery pain that raced down his cheek when the flaming blade skimmed it. Blue eyes flashed furiously as he opened his mouth, bellowing out another blast of light with the intent to kill, feeling the power rise within him.

The fairy before him was older, with gray hair and wrinkled skin. Wings - large in size - rose high above his head, and a tail lashed, its pointed end glinting in the light of the morning. And he laughed as the dragon slayer swerved to avoid another blow. He was just preparing to launch another attack when he saw something in the corner of his eye streak past.

He grinned in recognition. "Rogue!" he laughed as a large swirling vortex of shadows went towards the fairy. The fairy's gaze darkened as it ducked to avoid the blow, swearing and cursing at the two as they immediately fell into the familiar pattern of one another's ways. They worked together as if they'd done it all of their lives - and they had, for most of the length of time.

It finally ended - his hour long fight - when he caught the fairy by surprise and dove forward, copying a move that Natsu used and throwing himself through his own magic to crack his forehead sharply against his. While the fairy was distracted with the pain and shock, he swung a leg out, catching him over the head with a foot.

He crumpled, unconscious.

Panting for breath, Sting trotted back to Rogue's side, clapping his friend over the shoulder. "Rogue! Where the hell have you been? Lector, you can come out now!" he called. Lector appeared out of his hiding spot from the roof of a building and flew down to land in Sting's arms without hesitation, purring in relief.

"Looking for you," Rogue said drily. "Fro and I found Rhith and Yukino. Both are unharmed."

Sting's eyes flashed. "Good. Any sign of Orga or Rufus?"

He shook his head, and Sting nodded to himself, recognizing that it would be difficult to find either of them in the mess that had been created. "But you found the girls? Good. Let's head to Fairy Tail's guildhall, see who's there-"

"Sting-sama, Rogue-sama!" Yukino came running into view, a horrified Frosch clutched to her chest. She stumbled, barely catching herself - as something massive roared and slammed its way between buildings to come crashing after her. The ground trembled and Sting nearly dropped Lector as he threw himself forward to help.

"Frosch!" Rogue cried when he tumbled from Yukino's fingers when she struck the ground. She made sure to grab him as quickly as possible, curling herself around Frosch's small body when a combination of light and shadow magic exploded over their heads. The creature chasing them dissolved, and as soon as they could get over, Sting was there, helping her up.

"Rhith," she gasped after a moment, not bothering to use the respectful honorifics she usually used. She was staring up at them with wide, frightened eyes. "She just...she ran off! She handed Fro-kun over and then...and then she apologized, and…"

Rogue swore under his breath as he took the crying Frosch from her. Frosch looked terrified, his frog suit ripped in several places as he curled against Rogue's chest. Lector scrambled up onto Rogue's shoulder, worried for his friend's well being.

Sting clenched his jaw for a moment and then nodded slowly in understanding, his sharp blue eyes scanning the area. "She'll be fine," he said after a moment despite clearly longing to go and hunt the half-fairy down. "Right now we have to figure out what the hell we need to do."

"Fairy Tail's ghost is apparently organizing things from what Rhith said," Rogue offered. "It might be best that we go to their guildhall. It's dangerous to go out in such small groups."

Sting shook his head. "We're our own guild, we'll make our own decisions. Let's check in and see if we can find Orga and Rufus thought. They might be there, or someone might have seen them. If anything, I bet Laxus could find Orga. Somethin' with the lightning or...something."

"Intelligent, Sting," Lector said cheekily. Sting gave his Exceed friend a look of amusement and then pumped a fist in the air. "Let's go kick some fairy ass," he said cheerfully with a dark look in his eyes.

Yukino looked bewildered, but agreed.

It was Rogue who made the next snide comment.

"You needed help to take on one fairy. You just want to show off so you can get laid."

Sting's jaw dropped, clearly not expecting that response out of Rogue of all people.

Lector giggled and Yukino hid a smile, looking away. Her dark eyes sprang wide. "Lucy!" she suddenly called, waving desperately as a group of people darted into the street. Blonde hair swirled around her shoulders as Lucy turned to look and lit up in relief.

"Yukino!" Lucy ignored the worried Erza's protests and threw herself at the other celestial mage, hugging her with a faint smile. "I'm so glad you're okay!" Yukino returned the hug just as tightly, laughing weakly.

"Same here," she murmured, pulling back. She lightly grabbed Lucy by the shoulders. "Are you alright? The fairies are brutal…"

"Natsu found me in time," Lucy reassured with a laugh. She glanced over her shoulder at Gray and Erza, who approached with caution. "They're fine, guys, do you see the way Rogue's holding Frosch-kun?"

"She's got a point," Gray agreed. He'd lost his shirt already, his emblem on display for all to see as he folded his hands behind his head. "You guys okay?"

"As okay as we could be," Sting told him, rubbing the back of his head. "Have you seen Rufus? Or Orga?"

"Or Rhith-sama," Lector piped up, "Because apparently Sting-kun needs to get laid."

" _Lector_ ," Sting said, horrified by what he'd said.

"He's not incorrect," Gray mused as Erza blushed as red as her hair.

"I...I was not aware th-that you were in that kind of relationship," she stammered.

"We're not," Sting muttered back.

"Yet."

" _Lector_!"

Lucy giggled, and then frowned, asking, "Have you seen her? Rhith? She shoved me at them and said I was going with, and then left."

"We were with her for a short while," Yukino murmured. "Rogue-san and Fro-kun found her before they found me. She left when we found Sting-sama, though."

Lucy looked puzzled - and then looked to Frosch when he spoke from where he was cuddled against Rogue's chest. "A fairy approached us, remember Rogue? She said that Rhith-sama was her sister, and that she wanted to help. Maybe Rhith-sama went back to find her because she wanted her sister's help?"

"There...what?" Gray gawked at the Exceed and received a small glare from Rogue for doing so.

"A smaller fairy did approach," he admitted, "And claimed to be Rhith's sister. She didn't believe it and we left the fairy behind. I nearly forgot about it, honestly...I don't think she would have gone and found her though, Fro."

"Oh." Frosch looked unconcerned that he was wrong. "Okay."

Erza tapped her chin thoughtfully and murmured, "Do you remember where this fairy was? Perhaps we can attempt to retrace your steps and check that area-"

"You do realize," Sting drawled, "That you have two dragon slayers with you. Our noses are not as good as Natsu-san's, but they'll suffice to try and track down one person."

"...point taken," Lucy said, and then ordered, planting a fisted hand on her hip, "Start finding her then, because we need to get her back to the guildhall and tie her to a chair or something! Her illusions are easily taken over by the fairies - it happened when we were training first thing this morning."

"It must be the strength of the fairies compared to her own," Erza murmured before ordering, "Forward then! Our goal is to find Rhith-san as well as anyone else who may need our help. No fairy can stand up to us!"

Lucy snorted and exchanged an amused look with Gray before smirking and pounding a fist against his in a familiar move that they did often. Lector and Frosch cheered.

Sting's blue eyes darkened as he heard the screams of someone in the far distance.

* * *

"Ugh," Rhith murmured, touching the gash that ran down the side of her head. Sticky blood came away on her fingers, and she took a deep breath as she rested her head back.

It had been a few hours since she'd taken off alone, and she'd nearly run into a few allies over the time she'd been struggling to find her way to where that source of magic was. She was close to it, she knew. It tugged viciously at her magic, threatening to devour it, but she kept an iron grip on herself, refusing to give into the urges.

She swallowed thickly as she shoved herself to her feet, having caught her breath.

She'd run into a few fairies who had delighted in trying to slit her throat when she wasn't expecting it.

The bloody gash on the back of her neck showed just how close one had gotten.

She was almost tempted to let the next one succeed, just so that she could get them away in peace. Not that it'd kill her entirely, apparently. They planned on taking her magic away first - if that was even possible.

Then again, these were fairies.

She supposed anything was possible now.

Rhith licked her dry lips, and then jogged forward, her blistering feet slapping against the cobbled street of the freaky version of Magnolia, her heart aching for the crushed home that she passed. The residents were more than likely dead, crushed by it.

They didn't deserve this.

No one deserved any of this death and pain, and it killed her to know that it was her fault - even if it was unintentional.

Rhith slipped into alley to hide when the sound of feet striking the ground filled her ears, and she watched a Lamia Scale mage run by, accompanied by someone of the guild she'd become a part of. She waited patiently until they were gone, recognizing the guild member from Sabertooth as the memory-make mage Rufus.

There was a heart beat of silence, and then a voice whispered into her ear, "What are you hiding from?"

She squawked in fear and surprise, and then flushed a brilliant red when she recognized who it was. "Eucliffe-san," she greeted faintly, seeing the hardened glint in his blue eyes. She willed away any illusions, just to be sure, and then realized that he was the actual person and cringed.

Rhith grimaced, recognizing that she was about to be scolded without mercy. Cutting him off before he could start, she demanded, "Where's Lector-kun and the others?"

"Meeting Rufus further up the street," he drawled back. She contemplated bolting - she was _trying_ to do something to help the situation, damn it! He immediately slammed his hands against the wall of the building, caging her against it. "The hell are you trying to do? We're all out here fighting, making sure that you aren't killed, and you're _trying_ to do the opposite?"

Rhith found herself glaring up at him with piercing burgundy eyes that did nothing to deter the anger he felt. "It's my problem. I'll deal with it. That's what I've always done, so I'm going to continue doing it now."

"It's not just _your_ problem," he snapped back, gritting his teeth. "They took Fairy Tail's celestial mage. And you're a part of Sabertooth now." He jabbed her painfully in the stomach, where her own emblem rested. She flinched, covering the spot with a huff. "That means they screwed with our guild. Which means we're involved and it's our problem. Run off like that again, and I'm going to make sure you're chained down in Fairy Tail's guildhall. And that's an order from Sabertooth's guildmaster."

She glared up at him for a few brief seconds more before accepting defeat. "Fine," she grumbled, looking away. He puffed out a sigh of relief, the warm gush of air rushing over her face, and Rhith flushed at his proximity.

Suddenly, he smiled cheekily and snatched up her hand. Despite all of the blood and general griminess that streaked both of them, he lifted her fingers to his lips and pressed them against her fingertips with teasing blue eyes. "Perhaps, after all of this is done with, you'll grant me with a date, Rhith-chan?"

Rhith stared at him for a few moments, and then groaned, pressing her free hand over her eyes. "We're in the middle of what's probably considered a war," she whined, "And you're...okay, yeah. Whatever. Sure, we'll do that after this." Simply accepting the idea rather than trying to figure out the logic behind it, she pulled her hand free, and ducked past him, heading for where he'd said the rest of the group was going. He swung out of the alley after her.

"Okay, so who's safe as of now? Or, actually, better question, who's unaccounted for?" she asked as they walked.

Sting folded his hands behind his head, shortening his stride to stay beside her. "Not many. Most are doing alright. One or two Fairy Tail mages, and that's about it. Oh, and Orga. We've been lookin' for him, but he isn't showing up. I'm with Rogue and our Exceeds right now; Yukino chose to wait back at the guildhall in case Orga showed up. Rufus and the other guy are gonna check back in with the guildhall soon as we get there."

"Have you seen Natsu?" Rhith asked, narrowing her eyes. "The last I saw of him was earlier this morning."

"Once. He was going to meet with Lucy." Sting glanced at her. "Why?"

Rhith shook her head, the longer pieces of silver hair on either side of her head brushing her cheeks as they fluttered around her face. "No reason, I just wanted to make sure he was doing okay." She closed her eyes, and then opened them, exhaling. "I'm searching for the source. Or I was before you showed up. I can feel it. We're close."

"There's a source?" he demanded.

"Sort of. I can't really explain it." Rhith licked her lips when Rogue and the others came into view, the two Exceeds in his arms. Frosch squirmed excitedly when he saw her, calling, "Rhith-sama!"

"Fro-kun, Lector-kun," Rhith murmured, grimacing in realization. They'd been upset, something she could see with the way their tails were flicking and lashing. Lector was giving her a dirty look; Frosch looked like he was going to cry.

Rufus looked slightly amused as he tipped his hat to the silver-haired woman and told Sting, "We'll be off."

"Careful," Sting told him with flashing eyes. "Your magic is pretty good against the illusions, so I'm assuming you'll be fine. Don't' make the guild have to have a funeral."

"Mm, I believe we're all more concerned about you, guildmaster," was the other man's response before he nodded to the Lamia Scale mage and left.

Rogue watched him leave, and then glanced to Sting. "What are we doing now?"

"Rhith mentioned a center almost of all of this, so we're going that way." Sting flashed his partner a grin, playfully throwing an arm around the small illusion mage's shoulders. She scowled irritably at the action, and then kicked him nastily in the back of the knee so that his leg nearly gave out.

"Not now," she seethed.

"So...later?"

"No," she retorted, "Never."

"He really needs to get laid," Lector told her. "We were discussing it earlier."

Sting threw his hands up in the air. "Why are we discussing this again? I don't need to get laid!"

"Yes, you do," Rogue sighed. "Which way is this...center you were talking about, Rhith?"

Rhith took a moment to figure it out, and then pointed. "That way," she replied, clearing her throat. "We're heading to the church. Or where the church is here, because I know it was closer to the guildhall before today."

"Got it," Sting muttered, and then became serious, any trace of laughter disappearing from his sharp gaze. "Lector, could you do some surveillance above, see if there's anyone around us?"

"Sure," Lector agreed, diving upwards when Rogue released him, swings sprouting from his back.

"Alright," Sting said, watching his friend with careful eyes to make sure he wasn't attacked. "Let's get this party started."

Rogue and Rhith exchanged a look and shook their heads.

And then they all started forward, their forms tensed and ready for the fighting that was sure to come.

* * *

 _Next chapter is when things really take a twist! ;)_

 _Thanks to reviewers (LePengwen, Ancient Glory, MaybeALittleBroken, The 0bservanc3, sassykitten1701, and Princessatj!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_

 _Special note: There's only two more chapters and an epilogue left!_


	16. Necessary Sacrifices

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

Natsu had been hunting for that last stragglers with Meredy and Jellal when it came.

There was a pulse, from somewhere deep within his heart that sent pain racing through him, and he dropped like a stone with a strangled scream-like cry, clutching his chest and trying to rip it out. Concerned, Meredy fell to her knees beside him, her eyes flaring with panic when she saw that her magic was still linking he and Lucy.

"What's wrong?" Jellal demanded, firing a signal into the air and twisting it in a certain way to show that they needed backup should a fairy arrive. He watched a response come and nearly groaned in relief. Erza. And Lucy was with her.

"My chest," Natsu gasped, writhing. "It _hurts_ -"

A split second later, there was a shrieking scream that filled the air, one that he recognized. Panic filled him as he tried to stumble to his feet. "Wendy-"

"Meredy, stay here, I'll go and find her," Jellal ordered and then sprinted in the other direction, heading for where they'd heard the cry come from.

"Natsu," Happy, who'd been with them since they'd left the guildhall, said with a shaky voice.

It wasn't too long later, with Meredy still knelt over Natsu, that Erza came barreling into view with Gray, Lucy, and Yukino not far behind. "What happened?" Erza demanded as Lucy gave a horrified whimper and dropped to inspect her partner.

"We don't know," she said honestly, climbing to her feet. "One moment, everything's fine, the next, he's like this. Wendy's like this, too, I believe. Jellal went to find her."

"Right." Erza studied Natsu, whose forehead was beaded with sweat, his breath coming harshly. He moaned suddenly, clutching at his chest again, back arching off of the ground in pain and Lucy, stressed and panicked enough to begin with gave a sob of his name.

There was silence as he clawed his fingernails in too much and drew blood, the others - even Gray - watching with anxiety as Happy crawled into Lucy's lap and clutched at her.

And then he screamed again, blood bubbling at his lips. Heat swept around him, hot enough that Erza reached out and dragged Lucy and Happy back. Lucy protested, but went with her, wincing when her skin turned red, as if she was being boiled alive.

Suddenly, Natsu went still, hands falling away from his chest, and another scream nearby filled the air, streaked with agony and pleading. Further away, there was a bellow, distant and just as pained.

"Rogue," Happy recognized, ears twitching. He looked worried when a scream that was higher-pitched than Natsu's, yet deeper than Wendy's. "That's Sting, and there's Gajeel," he added a moment later when a fifth sound filled the air from fairly far off.

"The dragons then," Lucy whispered as Natsu gave a rasping bubbling wail of pain.

The next sound came, but it wasn't what they were expecting.

Instead, it was a sound so loud that it nearly shattered their eardrums.

A shadow appeared in the sky, cloaking them in darkness, and the sound of heavy wings beat at the air as it descended. Fearful, Lucy gripped Erza's arm, trusting the armored red-head to be capable of defeating the illusion above them - because she certainly couldn't.

When it hit the ground, towering above them, it was careful not to crush the houses beneath its massive clawed feet. It stood over Natsu, and Lucy's eyes flashed with wonder and horror as its red scales gleamed beneath the sun. Its head reared back for a moment, watching the rest of them with a sharp intelligent look.

"...oh, my god," Lucy breathed. "That's-"

"Ig...neel?" Natsu breathed, staring up at the lightened plating that lined the dragon's belly. He looked exhausted, his breath coming in harsh pants that puffed up just a fragment of smoke in comparison to what usually happened when he was surprised.

Instead of responding, he opened his jaws and roared, a blast of flames filling the sky above them. A split second later, wind blasted through the area, a higher-pitched shriek filling their ears. One by one, other dragons joined in, each just as large and supporting screams that made the humans beneath them slam their hands over their ears.

Worried for Lucy, Gray ignored the pain to cover her hands with his own, trying to protect her from the sound as much as possible even as his own bled. She glanced anxiously at him, but he ignored it, instead hunching his shoulders to try and block the sound.

Natsu didn't even try - he grinned up at him with tears shining in his eyes, too exhausted to move.

As soon as Igneel was done roaring, Lucy spared him no mind and threw herself beneath the dragon to Natsu's side. He grinned weakly at her, and she smiled faintly back. "Told ya I'd find him," he rasped.

"Idiot," she whispered back.

She pressed her forehead to his, and then pulled back when Igneel shifted so that he could peer down at them. "Taken down by your own father, Natsu? I taught you better than that."

Natsu only laughed aloud, beaming up at Igneel like he hadn't been gone for close to fourteen years. "I'm a dragon slayer," he said proudly, "Never said I was a dragon."

Igneel made a sound akin to a snort, and then focused on a sudden screech that filled the air. Something else rose above the town's buildings, something that Natsu recognized right off the bat - a wyvern.

One gust of flames, and it was gone.

"Lucy."

"Loke," Lucy gasped, glancing to the side when a hand descended on her shoulder. He was beaming up at Igneel as if the best thing in the world had happened. And to Natsu, it had. His father was back.

"This is great," Loke laughed, shaded eyes wild with excitement. "The dragons...even if there aren't nearly as many as last time, the dragons will ensure our victory."

Igneel grunted. "Ensure victory? No. We're weakened by age and what we've been in the process of doing for years - which was interrupted. Luckily we were near done anyways and it'll finish on its own." His voice was booming, and even Erza flinched when he spoke. "I would never wish for my son to become a dragon."

Natsu furrowed his brow as Loke disappeared back into his own world, remembering _that_ conversation back at the Grand Magic Games, when the dragons bones had been discovered.

"Where the hell did you come from?" Gray demanded, earning a cold look from the massive creature. "You just...show up out of the goddamn sky? What was with the pyro?"

"What Gray means to say," Erza said hastily as smoke swirled from Igneel's nostrils. "Is that we'd please like to know if Natsu will be alright."

"Please," Lucy mumbled, her eyes anxiously studying her partner as he suddenly groaned and closed his eyes, grimacing.

"His magic is exhausted," was all the dragon stated. "Take him to the location you're centered around. We will to see to the fairies." There was a pause. " _All_ of them."

It clicked with the worried Meredy in an instant, and her gaze became a chilling one she hadn't worn since she'd been a member of Grimoire Heart years and years before. "Don't touch, Rhith-chan. She's done nothing wrong. She's trying to help us."

"I am aware," Igneel replied, glaring down at them, "But they can't be sealed in their previous location without all of them being there. Which means that she will be returning there as well."

"You can't!" Lucy cried, "We promised that we'd help her! That's…" She struggled for the words and Natsu finished for her, wheezing.

"That's breaking our promise, and Fairy Tail mages don't do that." Onyx eyes studied the dragon after they'd opened, hardened. Pain filled his heart as he took in the unsympathetic look in Igneel's eyes. Did he not care that he was going to take away a friend that they'd all grown to like? "You can't."

"Take him to your guildhall," Igneel ordered, and then he began to move forward. Lucy threw an arm over her eyes when the sun filled them, and she gave it a few moments before swearing under her breath and dropping her forehead to rest against Natsu's chest, shivering.

Natsu patted her head weakly, his fingers tangling in her blonde hair. He wanted to reassure her, comfort her, tell her that it would be alright, but…

Igneel was Igneel, his father. The wisest of everyone that he knew - and that included Mavis and Gildarts, for heaven's sake! Igneel was the wisest, not them.

And usually when Igneel said that something needed to be done, then it did. But this...

So Natsu tightened his grip fractionally before nudging her away.

"C'mon, Luce," he huffed, giving her the largest grin that he could manage. "We gonna find Rhith, or are we just gonna sit around?"

She searched his gaze for a few moments, and then returned the smile with a faint laugh and sat up, pulling him with her. Meredy smiled slightly and then told them, "Look for Rhith-chan, I'll go find Jellal and then we'll do the same."

"Wait," Erza murmured, "I'd like to accompany you, Meredy. Will you three be alright?"

Gray, who'd moved closer to Natsu and Lucy, smirked and bumped his fist against Natsu's when the fire mage lifted a closed fist to do so. "Hell yeah. We'll be fine. I'll make sure things go the way we want them to, Erza. You go and find Jellal and Wendy."

"Good," Erza murmured. She exchanged a smile with Lucy, and then she and Meredy turned and darted towards where Jellal had run towards. Even from where they stood, they could see an anxious white dragon lowering her head to inspect her daughter.

Lucy stood, fingers loosely tangled in Natsu's hair as he regained his ability to balance upright. Her gaze searched the area. "Grandeeney," she murmured, locking onto the white dragon, and then found the next. "Weisslogia... Skiadrum... Metalicana." She shook her head as Gray helped Natsu to his feet. "Every single one of them are here. All of the dragons that trained a dragon slayer."

"It's the fairies," Gray muttered, "They're after the fairies. Natsu, get your ass up and moving, we need to find Rhith!"

"I'm tryin'," Natsu slurred, exhausted after what had happened. He leaned heavily into Lucy, an arm slung over her shoulder as well as Gray's. "I can't feel my stupid legs."

Lucy staggered under his weight, but remained upright, studying her partner's face with an anxious look as his head lolled against her, suddenly drooping as he fell into unconsciousness. "Natsu?"

No response.

She looked to Gray, who wore a grim expression. "Let's get him to the guildhall, Lucy. Then you and I will come back out with someone else and start looking."

"Alright," she agreed.

Together, they started towards Fairy Tail's guildhall.

* * *

Natsu was awoken to chaos around him. He blearily opened his dark eyes, studying the world around him with shock written clear across his face as the ceiling crumpled and a pair of bodies fell inside, fighting viciously and struggling to draw blood from one another.

 _Lisanna!_ he recognized, eyes wide. And she was fighting a fairy, her blue eyes wide with panic. He took a moment to realize that Wendy and Gajeel were beside him, both passed out. Wendy groaned as he looked at her, sweat beading her forehead.

Natsu staggered upright, shoving himself to his feet. Lisanna saw the movement, but said nothing, focusing on keeping the fairy's attention on her as it laughed, wings beating at the air. It's tail lashed out, and Lisanna jerked her head out of the way just in time for it to nick her cheek, slicing the skin deep enough to leave a scar.

Despite being exhausted and feeling the drain that had taken his magic for the time being, Natsu inhaled softly, working up flames. He could feel them flickering at the back of his throat, and grinned at the feeling.

"Fire Dragon's... _Roar_!" he bellowed, unleashing the gust of fire so that it slammed into the fairy and past him. Lisanna snapped out of the way with a quick transformation, and the attack whistled past beneath her, opening a hole in the side of the building with what looked like a small explosion.

He felt a bit of grief, recognizing that he'd helped destroy their guild's favorite place, but pushed past it.

Now was not the time.

The fairy fell with a scream, batting at the flames, but couldn't put them out.

For the first time in his life, Natsu had burned with the intent to kill, and even the water that the fairy tried to create refused to put his flames out. He watched hatefully as it turned the man to ash, and then glanced up to Lisanna, who smiled grimly.

She landed beside him carefully, touching her scratched cheek. "Thanks, Natsu."

"No problem," he said, tugging at his ash-stained scarf. He thought of his father, who he knew to be out there. "Where's Lucy? And Happy?"

"Together, and out with Gray, Mira, and Laxus. Trust me, they'll be okay," Lisanna reassured him. And he agreed with her; Mirajane and Laxus together were a nightmare. They exchanged a look, and then smiled faintly at one another, neither exactly pleased with the situation at hand.

"Has Rhith been found yet?"

Lisanna took on a dark look. "According to what I've heard when Sting and Rogue were brought in, she ran off. They couldn't stop her and then Skiadrum and Weisslogia went after her. Sting and Rogue tried to stop them, but…"

"Where are they?" Natsu questioned, gritting his teeth furiously at the thought that the dragons wanted to hurt the silver-haired woman. "Sting and Rogue."

"Another room. You're the first to wake up. You've been out for only an hour or so."

"An hour or so too long," he decided, clenching a fist in his scarf. "C'mon." He ducked out of the partially destroyed room, heading towards the stairs. Lisanna came after, following him into the main area of the guildhall, where several people were resting for a short while. Cana was surprisingly not drinking; instead, she was passed out. Kinana ran the bar with ease, and Makarov rested beside Mavis on it. Natsu noticed an anxious Pantherlily and Charle murmuring to one another in a corner, Levy seated with them and her teammates.

A fairy's demolished body had been moved aside and rested in a corner, blank eyes seeing nothing.

"Natsu!" Makarov called upon seeing him.

Everyone looked to Natsu, who simply approached the guildmaster. Lisanna murmured a final thanks before leaving him to Makarov, heading back upstairs. Natsu shoved his hands into his frayed pockets. "Yeah?"

"Mavis believes that it's best that you and the other dragon slayers be removed from the fighting," Makarov said gently. "Not with the dragons out there-"

"...you're letting them put Rhith away with the rest of the fairies," Natsu realized with horror clear in his eyes. "Gramps, you can't! She's a member of Sabertooth, and-"

"Sacrifices have to be made, Natsu Dragneel," Mavis said gently. "And if she were aware of this, I believe that she would agree."

"Because she blames herself." Natsu glared furiously at them. "What the hell, man?! Since when did Fairy Tail abandon people to basically _die_ , Gramps?! They'll kill her, even if we do seal all of them in that their place!"

Makarov gave him a tired look that made Natsu hesitate. "Natsu. I watched the fairies rip an innocent child into pieces when I stepped inside a house that they'd unfrozen. I would rather that someone who acknowledges that she is giving herself up willing to do so then to see such a thing again."

Natsu couldn't bring himself to protest against such a thing, because he could understand why Makarov was doing what he was doing now. He took one look at the way Makarov was watching him, the exhaustion in his eyes, the pain written across his face, and understood. Makarov didn't want to. But there was really no other solution that they could think of.

Because the fairies were able to do so much more than them.

Natsu's voice broke when he spoke again. "I'll go find her. And then I'll take her...I'll take her to Igneel, but only if she agrees. I won't do it if she doesn't agree to it. Got it?"

"Thank you," Mavis said softly, sighing heavily. "I wish it wasn't necessary, but we cannot bring fairies down with sheer force it appears. We'll entrust it to you, Natsu Dragneel."

"Like hell."

They all glanced up, bewildered, and a pair of nastily glaring blue eyes glittered furiously from the top of the stairs. Sting stumbled down the steps despite Lisanna's protests, exhaustion and pain written across his face. "Don't touch her," he demanded, voice slurring. "Don't touch Rhith."

"Sting," Makarov began patiently, but he ignored him, shaking his head viciously.

"Touch her," he threatened, "And I'll never forgive any of you."

Makarov smiled grimly. "Then never forgive us, because it's the only way that we can think of."

"You'll be murderers," he seethed. Sting shook his head and blood spattered Natsu's cheek from a wound that had been reopened. It stretched from his chin to his ear, the earring gone. "You'll be _murdering_ her. After she helped get Lucy back...if you're going to send Rhith away, then send Lucy away, too."

" _Sting Eucliffe_ ," Makarov barked, furious at him for suggesting anything of the sort. "Lucy is not half-fairy and keeping a group of murderous creatures in a world they wouldn't be in otherwise!" He took a deep breath, silencing the furious look Natsu took up before he could begin. "We don't want to send Rhith with them, but do you have any other suggestion of what to do?"

"They're more concerned about taking her magic away somehow." Sting's eyes shot to Natsu. Natsu understood his hopeful look. He really wanted to keep Rhith around if they could, and this seemed to catch Makarov's attention. "She said they mentioned it. What if we could do that and give the fairies what they want that way?"

"And if they still want her dead?" Makarov challenged.

"...I'll deal with it," Sting retorted, "I'm the guildmaster. And I'll call in the Council if you try anything without my permission."

"The Council can't do anything when they can't come here," Makarov pointed out, but nodded. "But if you can figure out how to do something about this, then we'll give it a try. Natsu, take him with you. Levy!" he called.

The blue-haired solid-script mage glanced up, confused, and he gestured to Natsu and Sting. "Go with them! They're heading out after Rhith!"

"Right," Levy said confidently. She patted her friendly Exceed on the head. When she caught Sting's wary look, she reassured, "Lector and Frosch are with Lucy. Don't worry, Sting-san, they're safe."

"Rogue will have your head if they aren't," Sting huffed, and then glanced over at Natsu. Both dragon slayers shared a look, Natsu's relieved and Sting's grim.

If there was a way to get Rhith safely out of the situation, then they'd find it. Even if it meant disobeying what their parents wanted.

As soon as Levy was ready, the three of them headed into the chaos outside, where dragons and fairies galore ran rampant.

"Let's avoid the dragons," was never something that Natsu would thought he'd say.

Sting growled his agreement, his blue eyes already scanning every nook and cranny for the missing silver-haired woman that he was beyond determined to find. Natsu caught his attention with a clearing of the throat and he glanced over.

"Sting," he said quietly. "We'll find her and we'll make damn sure that she survives it all. Even if it means taking away her magic."

He couldn't imagine life without his magic. It'd kill him, throw him into a deep depression he just wouldn't recover from. But if it meant saving Rhith's life, then without magic she'd go.

And they'd make damn sure she was happy without it, because apparently, the dragons needed to kill her, but their slayers refused to let them.

Except for Gajeel.

Gajeel seemed more than ready to kill her if that's what it took, but they wouldn't count that.

Levy shoved her blue hair out of her eyes and said firmly, "Let's find and save Rhith-chan."

The dragon slayers murmured their agreement.

Together, they set out, determined to find the half-fairy and bring her back.

* * *

From where she sat calmly at the center of it all, she watched.

She could see the trio - two dragon slayers and a wary solid-script mage - looking for the girl. She could see the dragons roaring, raging above her as they tried to find the girl and find her at the same time, knowing without needing to be told of who was in charge of this disaster.

And she watched the girl with curiosity, recognizing the burgundy eyes she supported, the petite stature. Most fairies were tall and elegant, not small and cute.

Only one woman had carried on those features. And she was dead, long ago executed for what she'd done. It was illegal in the laws of the fairies to fall in love with a human, and even more so to give birth to a creature that taints their blood.

The previous queen of fairies had been a good leader, the current queen admitted. Even if she'd made such a mistake, she shouldn't have been killed. But her daughter looked like her, with her slim body and silver hair. The eyes that shone with fierce anger as a fairy stepped into her path were definitely her mother's.

The queen of fairies remembered when the previous queen had looked her dead in the eye and spoke just seconds before her head had come clean off.

 _"My daughter is safe and she will remain safe. While the dragons hate the rest of you, our children will refuse to kill one another. Their children will protect her, and she will receive the joyous sight of watching you_ burn _."_

She licked her lips, tilting her head curiously as she watched the fairy that the half-fairy was dealing with speak, trying to coax her into believing her lie. Her intentions were clear: _I'll stab you in the back as soon as you look the other way._ "I'm your sister," she tried to insist, and the queen of fairies' lips pulled down in disapproval.

A single snap of her fingers, and the fairy was dead.

The queen controlled all of them, like a queen bee, and what she said went.

And the queen wanted to see this half-fairy, to meet with her and question her.

She wouldn't live afterwards, of course, but the half-fairy didn't need to know that.

Well, she thought as her lip curved into a malicious smile.

"We'll just have to wait and see about who burns, now won't we, your Majesty?" she hummed, tilting her head so that her lavender hair fell around her face. Her eyes glittered excitedly as she hummed the lyrics of a song under her breath in her native language.

"Luaithreach, luaithreach, beidh tú bow os mo chomhair. Luaithreach, luaithreach, ní féidir leat a fheiceáil cad a fheiceáil mé," she sang to herself.

* * *

 _Ashes, ashes, you will bow before me. Ashes, ashes, you can't see what I see._

 _Surprise! Dragons! And the queen of the fairies! ;)_

 _Thanks to reviewers (AncientGlory, LePengwen, The 0bservanc3, CrystalVixen93, and PinkFireandGoldenStars!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	17. Incomplete Promises

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

Rhith stared at the body that was lying before her with shock. The fairy that had insisted that she was her sister was dead - not that she minded. She'd been preparing to start up a fight just to get rid of her and focus on more important matters.

Rhith shook her head, silvery hair fluttering around her face. She really hadn't meant to separate from the other members of Sabertooth. Honestly, she'd been willing to try and stay with them.

But when Sting had dropped, followed closely by Rogue, both practically screaming in agony, she'd been at a loss. She'd panicked, kneeling beside Sting and trying to figure out what was wrong with wide burgundy eyes...until Weisslogia had arrived. Sting had choked out his name past whatever pain he'd been feeling, and the dragon had instantly turned on her.

She'd fled without a backwards glance, fear making her legs move faster than ever before. Weisslogia had given chase alongside Rogue's dragon, abandoning the two to whatever fairy came across them.

After a while, she'd lost them, and now she clung to shadows, continuing towards the center of the mess.

Surely, she'd decided, if she could end this, the dragons would go away? The fairies would leave, and then she could learn how to be a proper guild mage without anything trying to kill her every five seconds.

The idea warmed the illusion mage's heart.

But the warmth went away.

She'd only glimpsed at the rest of the guild. They would hear she was half-fairy, that she was something that had taken a Fairy Tail mage and nearly killed everyone several times over. She wasn't exactly someone who would likely be welcomed into the guild with ease…

Rhith shook her head.

This was not the time to think of things like that.

She finally found what she was looking for and stopped before it, tilting her head back to study the church. Not too far away, she could hear fighting; a fairy had found a group and was trying to rip into them. She glanced in the direction of the fighting, contemplating helping, then changed her mind and simply ducked into the church.

It was large and beautiful, colorful. Its windows were large and made of stained glass, pews lined along the floor.

At the front of the large room was a woman, who watched her with piercing golden eyes that seemed to see straight into Rhith's soul. She was in front of an orb that glowed gently, and Rhith knew immediately that it was what she needed to get to in order for everything to end. The woman would be hard to get past, however, she could tell by the way she held herself.

"Rhith Vila," the woman stated, voice ringing out. "The half-fairy, daughter of the previous queen...I've been awaiting your arrival." She flicked her hand and magic sealed up the door behind Rhith. She didn't flinch. "You are the first half-fairy that I've ever heard of and I find it fascinating that you're still alive. Surely a mage should have killed you by now? I know Metalicana's son wasn't too pleased to see you."

"None of the dragons were either," Rhith said with a tight smile. She crossed her arms across her chest. "Who are you? What are you doing here? Can't you take your people and just leave us in peace?"

"They're your people,too," the woman reminded. She smiled gently, as if unconcerned. "I am the queen of our people, mo stór. The queen of fairies. And you would do well to respect me, for I was not chosen to be queen for anything less than what I can do."

Rhith didn't think that made much sense to her, but pushed on. She could hear the roaring of a dragon; it shook the building violently, but neither payed it much attention. Something told Rhith it wouldn't be able to break through the church. The fairy hadn't been made queen for her looks, just as she'd said.

Rhith raised her chin. "What can I do?" she pleaded. "To make you go back and leave us in peace?"

The queen met her gaze piercingly. "Answer my question as honestly as you can and depending on your answer, I will take the magic of the fairies from you or not."

"Will you leave?" Rhith asked, eyes sharp. "If I answer correctly?"

"Yes."

Rhith nodded to herself, understanding flashing across her face. The queen was not as anti-human, anti-her, as the rest of her people were, but she would not put up with those who went against her. A dragon roared again, furious, and the ground shook, but neither moved. "Alright," the illusion mage murmured. "I'll answer as best as I can."

The fairy queen smirked, and then asked in the familiar language of the fairies, her accent sharp, "Cén fáth ar chóir dúinn a cheadú duit chun cónaí nuair a bhíonn tú rud ar bith ach abomination atá fuath ag na daoine a éileamh tú a ghrá?"

 _Why should we allow you to live when you are nothing but an abomination that is hated by the humans you claim to love?_

Rhith was startled by the question. She admitted in silence that it was a fairly good question, and she frowned, contemplating it.

"Take your time," the queen mused. "I do not wish for a random answer. I wish for the truth, as we all seem to do."

Rhith nodded curtly, and then closed her eyes, delving into her thoughts.

Why _should_ they let her continue living? All she'd done was bring trouble to the guilds despite trying to help them. She was the reason they'd brought this attack to them. She was the reason all of this had happened. If it weren't for her, Lucy would have never been kidnapped, no one would have been hurt, and more.

It was a good point. She was detested by anyone who looked at her. She made everyone uncomfortable - except for four out of the five dragon slayers. They didn't seem to mind her, and the others had warmly accepted her with open arms…

Her heart warmed at the thought of the friends she'd made. Her time with the Council had been rough, she recognized now. They'd been wary of her and had erased her memories of previous job, twisting them so that she wasn't even sure of what she'd done in the past. For all she knew, she could have killed someone…

She was generally avoided when she went into town, and people looked at her with hatred, yet...she couldn't bring herself to hate them in return. She loved people, and their uniqueness. She loved the friends she'd made in Fairy Tail and Sabertooth. She was quite fond of the idiotic guildmaster of the guild she'd joined, too, and his flirty ways. She adored Frosch and Lector, wanted to spend more time with them. Rogue was fun, even if he was quiet, his gentle personality a nice change from Sting's overbearing. Yukino was kind and sweet, as was Lucy. Natsu was a good friend that she had grown quite fond of. She didn't mind the other members of his guild.

The list went on and on, and Rhith thought over each and every reason why she should or shouldn't be allowed to live.

After minutes of silence, she opened her eyes. Her burgundy gaze was warm as she met the queen's, and she said with a fierce tone, "I should be allowed to live on because I've finally found something to live for. I dealt with hellish pain when I was little, and I've never been given so much as a chance to get what I've somehow managed to receive upon coming here. I've never caused issues for you. And I really don't understand why you fairies think that it's up to you to decide whether or not I get to walk out of here. You're not gods."

The queen contemplated this answer with a peaceful look upon her face. She searched Rhith's serious eyes. She took in the curled fists that the petite woman had curled her hands into, the way she arrogantly tilted her chin.

"Is this your final answer?" the queen asked finally.

"Yes." Rhith gave a confident nod, glancing over her shoulder when she heard the doors slam. Something crashed into them with enough force to send a draft through the room. But she shook off the familiar feeling of magic brushing over her senses, hearing a dragon's rumbling roar and voices that she couldn't comprehend at the moment.

The queen pressed her lips together, and then turned to the orb. She ran her fingers over the smooth surface in silence, and then glanced back with a piercing gaze.

"I respect your selfish request," she mused. "It is more human than fairy. I would have thought by your other qualities that your fairy blood is more dominant, but it appears that I was wrong." Rhith patiently arched an eyebrow, and she smirked. "I will remove the magic of the fairies," she hummed, turning back to her. "And we will leave, as you requested."

Rhith's face filled with relief. "Oh, thank goodness," she breathed. "Thank you. We all will appreciate this."

"Mm," was the queen's only response. She approached with care, her sweeping gaze studying the silver-haired woman. Rhith held her gaze proudly, excited that she'd won over the queen of the fairies that had come to destroy them.

"Losing your magic is painful," the queen warned, hands coming to rest gently so that her fingers touched Rhith's temples. Rhith's eyes fluttered shut as magic washed over her senses. "It is a part of you, a part of the human soul you possess. If you were purely fairy, doing such a thing would destroy you. It will be like a part of you has perished, and you will forever hate choosing this over death. You can no longer join a guild of mages as you expressed interest in. You will lose a lot."

Rhith's burgundy eyes were furious as she opened them again to glare at the queen. "But you'll leave, and that's all that matters."

The fairy inclined her head, the tail that hovered behind her flickering. "Point taken," she mused, and then closed her eyes, focusing.

And suddenly, it was like she was being ripped apart, piece by piece. Rhith bit back an agonized scream, trying her hardest to stifle the sounds that tried to escape her. The fairy queen didn't seem to notice and instead smiled almost when Rhith groaned.

Seconds later, Rhith collapsed, gasping for breath, staring blankly at the ground as she tried to draw herself back together. She swallowed thickly, taking in a shaking breath as the queen knelt beside her, a strange look on her face.

There was another slam on the doors, and Rhith lifted her head to look over her shoulder at them.

"I have taken away your ability to use magic," the queen purred, eyes glinting harshly in the light of the church, "And we will leave now. But not once did I _ever_ say anything about allowing you to live in peace."

Rhith's blank eyes stared at her, realization flashing through them, and she jerked back, wincing as she did so, her body feeling like it weighed a thousand pounds. The queen laughed and followed her, baring her teeth at her. Her tail lashed behind her, wings giving her appearance a larger look.

"Stupid girl," the queen purred, planting a foot on her stomach and leaning on it. Rhith winced, grunting in pain. "Did you seriously think you could outdo fairies? Do we think we're gods, you ask? How funny! Táimid demons, Rhith-chan."

 _We're demons._

That was a damn good way of putting that.

Rhith sucked in a shaky breath, and then swung her leg out. It moved sluggishly, but connected with the fairy queen's side and sent her lithe form flying. There was another slam on the doors, a bellow of something furious. A dragon's roar as she threw herself at them.

If she could get them open, she'd have someone to help her against anything the queen did. A dry smile crossed her lips as she twisted the strange lock. Once, she'd been a mage capable of doing things on her own.

Now? She couldn't do anything without someone else.

And not because her magic no longer came to her like a willing child.

There was a flash of pain as she threw the doors open, gasping for air. Blood filled her mouth as she stood there, burgundy eyes blank with shock, and she coughed, the sticky red liquid spattering the faces of the three startled mages before her.

Flashing a weak smile, she rasped, "I found the center."

Her trembling legs gave out, and Sting scrambled to try and catch her, but she hit the ground anyways, and darkness swept over her gaze, kind and gentle compared to the blazing pain that she'd felt seconds before.

* * *

Natsu's eyes snapped wide with horror when she hit the ground, revealing a wickedly sharp blade that protruded from her back. Levy and Sting fell to her side immediately, making sure she was alive, but he remained where he was, gaze shifting from the unconscious woman to the woman who stood proudly behind her.

Sharp eyes met onyx, first with shock, and then gleeful terror.

"You," she murmured, her voice soft and rich with longing. "I never thought that we would meet one another, brother of Zeref."

"...you're a psycho," Natsu growled. An idea snapped through him as Levy and Sting argued about removing the blade, and ignoring both, he knelt and simply yanked it out. Levy screeched, but then quieted when he cauterized the wound with his magic, hoping it would help at least a little.

He clenched his jaw as he exchanged a look with Levy. Unless they got Rhith to Wendy or Chelia - and soon - she wouldn't make it. It looked as if the blade had pierced something, and if that was the case…

Natsu shook his head to clear that as the fairy queen danced gleefully around the orb, swishing her skirts as she stepped and fluttering the wings at her back. She laughed excitedly. "I can't believe this!" she cried, "The legends we've heard of you, from the fairy that came back to our realm and lost his life because of the injuries...this is incredible! E.N.D.!"

Levy's gaze flashed with fear at the name, darting to Natsu questioningly, but he didn't seem to notice. He was bewildered. What the hell was she talking about?!

"Etherious Natsu Dragneel!" the queen sang, breathless as she stopped dancing, spinning on her heel to face them. Her skirts billowed around her. "The Demon King! Brother to Zeref himself! We never imagined that you'd be here, hiding as a dragon slayer of all things! Do you think Igneel knows? Oh, to think that the dragon is raising the creature that nearly killed him!"

"What's she talking about?" Sting demanded, glaring up at the pink-haired man, but he shrugged, narrowing his eyes.

"Dunno," he answered stiffly. And he didn't. But what she was saying...it slipped through the cracks of his mind, bringing with it flashes of images that made him want to curl up and hate himself, because they were anything but pleasant. Blood and hate, pain and violence.

He forced himself to pretend they hadn't crossed his mind, instead saying coldly, "You're some psychotic freak if you think I'm about to believe something like _that_."

"You'll see, you'll all see. When Zeref comes looking, you'll go prancing back to his side like in the good old days." The fairy queen snickered, and then sneered at Rhith. "Is she dead yet? I made sure to pierce a lung and at least nick the other. So she'd die drowning in her own blood-"

Sting lost his temper then. He suddenly opened his mouth, dropping his jaw wide so that the beam of light that shot forward slammed into her before she had time to move. She went down in a pool of blood that spilled onto the floor across her, dead instantly, and the blond showed no guilt or sympathy for what he'd done.

Instead, he looked miserable. Levy's face was pale, but she chose to say nothing, instead smoothing her fingers through Rhith's silver hair with a gentle look. The young woman gave a gurgling choke, retching and spitting blood as she tried to draw breath, but couldn't, and Natsu joined them with the grim realization that she wouldn't recover from this.

Mages were powerful and could recover from a lot of things that normal people couldn't, but there were some injuries that not even they could survive.

It was several agonizing minutes before her breath cut off and her body stilled entirely.

"She's gone," Levy murmured mournfully.

Sting swore under his breath and shakily touched Rhith's cheek just a second before it dissolved away. They all watched in silence as her body turned into silver orbs that seemed to hover and twirl around their heads in a beautiful dance. They lingered for a particularly lengthy moment around Sting's face, brushing warmly against his cheek, and then spun off into the air. They playfully danced around the orb that the fairy queen had protected before suddenly lifting towards the ceiling, where they swirled tightly together and then exploded, bursting in a series of beautiful fireworks only they were able to see.

And then any sign of Rhith Vila was gone, and they were left to stare at the bloody space before them with blank stares.

"...what do we do?" Natsu demanded.

Sting heaved himself to his feet, refusing to look at them as he cracked his knuckles. Without a word of warning, he approached the orb, studying it. A split second later, he simply planted a foot on the stand and tipped it so that it was sent rolling. He caught it with his heel, pressed down, and then slammed on it so that it shattered into endless glowing pieces.

"That's what we do," Sting said darkly, hatred lining his tone. "We rip apart anything that has to do with the fairies."

Natsu tugged Levy to her feet, throat thick with emotion, and he longingly thought of Lucy's comforting smiles. He wanted to go and find his partner, seek reassurance in her. She'd know what to do about what the fairy queen had accused him of and she'd figure out how to fix what had happened.

She'd know how he should deal with the grief that flashed through him despite having known Rhith as short a time as he had.

Levy bit her lip, and then caught Natsu's scarf gently. "Let's head back to the guildhall, we need to see what's happened there. Sting, I'm sure Rogue, Frosch, and Lector will be wondering where you are. Once we know, I think it's best to hunt down the dragons and make sure all five are accounted for."

Sting hesitated, but reluctantly agreed, and trampled after them as they left the building. His blue eyes were dark, holding no sign of the laughter he was usually full of. The trio was silent, horrified and furious with what had happened.

Natsu was just tired. Tired of worrying, tired of grieving. Tired of fighting.

For the first time in many years, he just wanted to curl up under Igneel's wing as if he was a child and sleep as the dragon hid him away from the dangers in the world.

* * *

The second they stepped into the guildhall, Natsu's eyes sought Lucy out, and he found her almost immediately. The town had returned to normal and the fairies had vanished, he'd realized as they'd walked. It was no longer a distorted version of Magnolia, and people had been stumbling about trying to figure out what had happened. It was a relief. The fairies were gone, the dragons confusing the residents further as they lumbered through Magnolia, trying to find their respective slayers.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried, throwing herself at him. He caught her in a hug, pressing his face into her shoulder with a relieved groan. Happy wasn't far behind, and he was beyond grateful that both were unharmed. The extent of injuries between them was a scratch that would leave a scar on Lucy's cheek, but he didn't care about that.

He was glad she was alright.

Sting's guildmates greeted him with warmth and relief, though they seemed to recognize that something was wrong when he dropped into a seat in silence, merely reaching for Lector and ruffling his ears. Levy trotted over to where an exhausted Gajeel was sitting with Wendy, who'd curled up in his side to doze, still holding Charle.

"Where's-"

Natsu cut her question off and shook his head. His grip tightened around her as he trembled for a moment, and she chose not to say more, instead murmuring in a soothing voice to him.

"Is everyone accounted for?" he heard Makarov ask Mirajane a few minutes later. The silver-haired woman looked slightly dazed, leaning heavily on the bar with blood staining her usually gorgeous hair. She didn't seem to focus on the guildmaster as she gave a nod. "Get that wound looked at," he ordered, "It needs to be checked."

"Right," Mirajane murmured, stumbling over to where Wendy was beginning to wake up, blinking blearily at the commotion around them.

"Natsu?" Happy said softly, clutching his shoulder with gentle claws. "Are you okay?"

His voice hitched, cracking slightly. "No."

Rhith's death, Igneel's return, and the distinct possibility of being a demon known for its hideous actions had created a mess within his mind. He hated it. He hated it with the passion of a dragon that was trying to defend those it held dear.

His eyes closed as he rested his head on Lucy's shoulder, and she listened to the discussion that was brought up by their nakama and the other guilds that had participated. Jellal spoke with quite concern, Lyon with fierce determination, and Sting with an emotionless tone. Makarov was serious, and Mavis, who stood at his side, suddenly spoke.

"The fairies are gone. I can no longer sense the danger they brought with them."

"Good," Makarov said, and then repeated this to the those who couldn't see her. "Has anyone suffered losses?"

"Meredy and I are fine," Jellal promised.

Lyon admitted that Lamia Scale had lost three that he knew of, and Erza called from where she was seated tiredly beside Gray, letting him tend to a broken arm, "Fairy Tail has suffered a few, Master."

Makarov nodded, eyes flashing with grief, and then looked to Sting.

He licked his lips slowly, looking down at Lector. His eyes flashed with grief. "Sabertooth has lost one member. Rhith found the center of it all and met with the queen of fairies. She was stabbed from behind by the queen when we arrived, after the queen had taken her magic, if what we sensed was right. The queen launched into some sort of...excited speech about Natsu-san," he sneered this, "We were with Rhith when she died."

There was quiet throughout the guildhall, people coming to terms with this information.

And then Frosch burst into tears, wailing loudly. He buried himself against the startled Rogue, who gently cradled him in his arms. Rufus and Orga, who supported a nasty amount of bruising on his face, exchanged quiet looks that nobody could interpret, and Yukino cupped a hand over her mouth in horror, dark eyes filling with tears.

Natsu dug his fingers into Lucy's back, and she returned the hug just as tightly, whispering a fierce apology to him, understanding why he was upset. Happy merely whimpered and hid himself between them, trying to join the hug.

A look of sadness crossed Makarov's face before he moved on, determined to keep his own emotions in check, even when Wendy made a low moan of mourning and buried her face in her hands.

"Natsu," he said, addressing the fire mage. "What did she say about you, this fairy queen?"

Natsu shook his head, clenching his jaw viciously at the thought of what she'd said. "It was stupid," he rasped, letting Lucy pull away to blink at him curiously. "She said that I was some kind of demon king and that I was Zeref's brother."

"E.N.D." Levy glanced from where she was holding Lily, her voice grave. "Etherious Natsu Dragneel."

Anger lined Natsu's voice as he hissed, "She said I'd go prancing to Zeref's side like some kind of trained dog!"

Makarov studied him carefully, as if seeing him in a new light. But then he shook his head - only to pause when Mavis murmured, "It's true."

Natsu's head snapped around. " _What_?"

"E.N.D. was sealed away years ago," she continued. "You needn't worry yourself over it, Natsu Dragneel. You are not the Demon King she spoke of, nor are you the brother of Zeref." His name crossed over her tongue like venom, her eyes flashing with rage at the sound of it. "You are the son of Igneel and member of Fairy Tail, nothing more."

Natsu seemed to calm down at that reassurance, and Lucy smiled gently up at him. He searched her gaze for a moment, and then gave his signature grin, pressing his forehead to her in a sign of affection and love.

Makarov looked back to Sting as he comforted Lector as best as he could. "Fairy Tail is sorry to hear of the loss," he murmured, "Rhith-chan was a good mage who assisted us and we regret that we will never be able to repay her."

He only smiled drily. "Yeah."

There was a sudden crash, and everyone looked over to see Cana hold a bottle of liquor above her head. She gave them all a grin, her eyes glinting suspiciously. "C'mon," she huffed. "We won a _war_. And against _fairies_. I think we deserve to celebrate - and send Rhith-chan off - Fairy Tail style!"

Natsu thought of the dragons that still roamed the bewildered town of Magnolia and grinned.

He agreed, but first…

A rumbling roar filled their ears.

Igneel called.

* * *

 _And...last chapter! I'm thinking of just releasing the epilogue tomorrow, to be honest..._

 _An explanation for something that might be confusing: the fairies disappeared like they did because the orb that Sting smashed was what kept them there. It was basically a physical form of their queen's power and when he destroyed it, the link she'd created was destroyed._

 _To DeniMari31...I believe it's just a matter of opinion when it comes to things like that. :3_

 _Thanks to reviewers (sassykitten1701, Ancient Glory, LePengwen, CrystalVixen93, DenMarie31, and PinkFireandGoldenStars!) as well as those who favorited and followed!_


	18. Epilogue

**. Not As It Seems .**

* * *

Natsu waited until everyone else was distracted before leaving the guildhall. Most of the other dragon slayers had left to find their own dragons ages ago - Sting had been the first, worrying everyone. But Rogue had merely told them that he'd be fine. They all would.

Wendy had been second, eager to see her mother. Grandeeney had been waiting just outside, and they'd all heard Wendy's happy crying and the rumbling voice of a dragon as it saw to its child. Rogue and Gajeel had left together, though Natsu was certain that they'd separated soon after.

Natsu's onyx eyes searched the town around him for his father and found him immediately, patiently watching the town from the north. He began to jog through the streets, scarf streaming out behind him.

He'd left Lucy without a word, but she'd been with Cana and Lisanna, so he assumed she'd be okay until he got back. Not. He knew that she and Happy would come hunting minutes after he left.

It took nearly twenty minutes to reach Igneel, and when he did, he slowed to a walk, panting just barely and grinning excitedly up at the fire dragon. Igneel didn't seem to notice him and he caught his breath before suddenly scrambling up the side of a building to get to the roof, using the roof and his fire to somehow throw himself at the dragon's snout.

"Igneel!" he bellowed, catching onto the scales with ease and simply hanging there. Igneel snorted in shock, jerking his head, but Natsu kept a tight grip, only laughing loudly. Igneel seemed amused as he rumbled Natsu's name before lowering the pink-haired mage to the ground.

"What are you doing, surprising dragons?" Igneel scolded.

Natsu only grinned up at him with another laugh. "That's what you get for disappearing for so long!" Most people would have been bothered by the length of time that the dragons had been gone; Natsu merely peered around him, patiently waiting for his partners to come out from wherever they were.

He desperately wanted Igneel to meet both of them.

"I was told that your half-fairy friend died," Igneel said after a moment. "I'm sorry. We didn't want for her to die. We merely wished to secure the safety of this world."

Natsu was quiet for a minute, and then shrugged and told him simply, "It's the fairies' fault and no one else's. I wish she'd been able to celebrate our victory with us, but...Sting's the one most upset about it, I think. He liked her the most out of all of us freaks." Suddenly his sharp eyes caught sight of a familiar flash of gold, and he called, "Luce!"

The blonde paused, hesitant as the dragon beside him shifted to look her way. Natsu smiled encouragingly, holding out his hand, and finally, she approached, slipping her hand into his and flushing at the curious look Igneel gave her. "Sorry," she mumbled as Happy squirmed in her grip and climbed onto Natsu's shoulder. "We should have stayed at the guildhall."

"Nah," he drawled. "I wanted ya to meet Igneel anyways. Igneel!" he said proudly throwing an arm around Lucy's shoulders and playfully pressing his forehead against the crown of her head. "These are my best friends, Lucy Heartfilia and Happy. Luce's my partner." He didn't dare try to say that she was more just yet; they still needed to have that conversation.

Igneel studied Lucy and Happy with a blank look that was carefully void of emotion before he finally answered, looking amused at the worried look on Lucy's face. "It is nice to meet the ones who have done so much for my son. Thank you for taking care of him in my absence."

Lucy let out a huge whoosh of air in relief and simply gave a huge smile. "It's an honor to meet you," she told him. "Natsu's told us so much about you...we're very grateful that you've come back."

"Will you stay?" Natsu sounded anxious now, studying his father. "You won't disappear again?"

Igneel's eyes softened just a fraction as he touched his nose to Natsu's forehead with care, not wanting to knock Happy off. Natsu released Lucy in favor of hugging him, digging his fingers in as if it would trap Igneel there. "Not here, precisely," he admitted. "This part of Fiore is not suitable territory for five dragons. But we will no longer be in hiding. You will be able to come visit us whenever you wish."

Relief filled Natsu, and he laughed again, releasing Igneel in favor of crushing Lucy to his side. Happy purred excitedly, looking down at his friends from his place on Natsu's head. They all paused as a rumbling roar filled the air, and a second later, a massive shadow launched into the air.

Skiadrum was the first to leave, it appeared, his massive body casting a shadow over Magnolia. Igneel looked up, watching as he suddenly plunged towards the ground. Lucy tensed in shock - and then relaxed when he seemed to melt into the thousands of shadows that flooded the town.

"Skiadrum is worried about his son," Igneel admitted. "It is likely that he will remain in the shadows of the city or town closest to their guild."

"Crocus then. Hisui may not appreciate that after the Eclipse Gate," Lucy murmured, then shrugged.

Igneel shifted, taking in their happy looks a final time. "It is time I take my leave. Natsu, I will be within the mountains to the southwest of here. You know fully well how to find me."

"Of course." Natsu gave another grin, his cheeks hurting from the amount of smiling he was doing. "I'll come see you soon. After we've fixed up Magnolia and helped out the people that live here!"

Igneel said no more, only lifted the massive wings on either side of his body and looked to the sky. His jaws parted and he gave a roar that was similar to Skiadrum's, and then rose into the sky with ease.

Natsu watched him go silently until he was gone and then turned to Lucy, reaching up to ruffle Happy's ears. "C'mon," he said cheerfully, onyx eyes glinting suspiciously. "We've got a party to screw up."

Lucy only giggled and nudged him with her shoulder. "Race you there."

He smirked and took off at the same time she did, Happy flying beside them.

At long last, things were at peace once more.

* * *

"Ah, Rogue! Look! A flower!"

The entire group stopped, of course, as Rogue knelt beside Frosch to study the flower he'd pointed out. Lector scurried over to investigate, and Yukino peered over their shoulders with a smile on her face. Sting waited patiently with Orga and Rufus, a hint of a smile on his face as he watched the two Exceeds cheer excitedly over the sight, one of the rare moments of true joy that they'd shown over the few days since the defeat of the fairies.

Rather than taking transportation out of Magnolia, they'd chosen to walk, neither dragon slayer willing to deal with motion sickness for the time being. Skiadrum awaited, and Weisslogia had promised to do a fly by so that the guild could pester them before he went to hide in the caves along a beach hundreds of miles to the west.

In other words, life had been peaceful.

It didn't make the guilt and grief any less, but at least there were distractions.

"Sting-kun," Lector called. "It's white, do you want it?"

"Sure," Sting drawled, "Why not?"

"Here," Frosch said happily, picking it and handing it to Lector. He ran over and pushed the white flower into Sting's hands. He studied it, and then shoved it into his mouth without hesitation, smirking at the look of disgust on everyone else's face. "What? Jealous you can't eat it?"

"Relieved, actually," Rufus answered, shaking his head.

"It's disgusting," Orga agreed.

Sting merely chewed contently. "Tastes good to me! You guys ready to go?"

"Mhm!" Yukino agreed, smiling as she scooped Frosch into her arms and reached for Lector. "Come, Fro-kun, Lector-kun, let's go home. They're probably worried about us."

"Doubt it," Sting called back before starting forward, swallowing the flower. Rogue climbed to his feet, sweeping the dirt from his knees and followed them.

Suddenly, Sting stopped, going cross-eyed as something alighted itself on his nose, and Orga burst into laughter at the sight, wishing that he could have captured the image for everyone to see. "What the-"

"Oh!" Yukino shoved the cats into Rogue's arms, and then stepped over. With gentle hands, she scooped it into her palms, and then held it with a smile, showing Sting what it was. "A butterfly," she hummed, smiling gently at it as it's glowing white wings fluttered. He peered at it in wonder, and then blinked in recognition; everyone gathered around to see.

And then, it took flight. It soared off daintily in the breeze high above their heads, fluttering away with ease. It continued its journey for long after Sabertooth moved on, arriving at its destination near evening.

It landed upon a slim and dainty finger that was held out, waiting for it, and received a warm smile. Sharp burgundy eyes glittered with amusement as they read the information offered about the area around.

"Well done. It's time for you to rest now...thank you."

The butterfly dissolved into glowing orbs that faded into the starry sky above, leaving nothing but warmth behind.

* * *

 _Epilogue released. I couldn't help myself._

 _I was very nervous to release NAIS after I wrote it. Many people hate the input of OCs into things, and I worked incredibly hard for a while on this. I didn't expect as many people to like it, honestly. But I'm glad you did. :D_

 _Thanks to reviewers (LePengwen, FairyDemonDust, CrystalVixen93, and PinkFireandGoldenStars!) as well as those who favorited and followed, and thank you to all that even looked!_

 _If you enjoyed this, you're welcome to take a look at my other current in progress works, Between the Lines and Oculto. I'm working on a new fanfic, too, called In Tenebris (though it won't be out for quite some time) that I'm excited about._

 _So, as Snow Fairy states..."Don't say goodbye!"_

 _~river_


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